Cascade goalkeeper Rigby Herbert only has eyes for the ball after a Castletown shot on goal from a penalty corner. Photos: Greg Symes
Furies and Cascade advanced to their respective Esperance Hockey Association grand finals tomorrow afternoon after winning preliminary finals on Saturday.
The methods of reaching the grand finals for both teams were extremely different as Furies had to survive a penalty shootout against Emus in the Women’s preliminary and Cascade dismantled Castletown leading the Men’s preliminary four goals to one at halftime.
Defence was at a premium in the Women’s match as both teams desperately scrambled to keep the ball out of the back of the net in regulation time.
Furies had a goal disallowed in the extra time period as the ball had been initially played from the incorrect area, the match ending in a nil-all draw.
A dramatic penalty shootout ensued as the goalkeepers Mel Wych (Furies) and Tara Stafford (Emus) did their best to keep the attackers at bay.
Locked at two-all after five penalties each, it came down to a golden goal scenario, Wych blocking Issy Sanford’s attempted shot on goal.
This left Furies captain Jacqui Tonkin to score the match winner, placing the ball just past Stafford into the goal just before her eight second time allocation was up.
Unfortunately for the Emus they bow out of the 2024 EHA finals series on the back of being on the wrong side of two penalty shootouts.
Furies will meet Mallee in tomorrow’s grand final, both sides playing in high scoring matches in the regular season with Mallee winning the first contest 4-3 in round two as Furies returned the favour 5-2 in round nine.
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The undefeated Rams, buoyed by the three goals to one win in the qualifying final against Cascade a fortnight ago, will be looking towards Nic Crane and Zac Warren for its goals.
The pair are lethal in front of goal during set plays resulting from penalty corners, which the Cascade defence will have to limit if they are a chance to win.
Cascade have an equally potent attacking trio in the speedy Zac Hatfield, George and John Carmody who will be looking to put pressure on the Rams’ defence.
The sides have played in three high scoring draws in the regular season including the insane five-all result in round 13 as Cascade came from four one down at half time to earn a point, three goals coming late in the last quarter for the Cades.
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