Western Province book place in U21 IPT final after dramatic penalty shoot-out victory

North West and Western Province have advanced to the women's final of the South African Hockey U21 IPT in Gqeberha after both teams triumphed in dramatic semi-finals on Thursday. North West secured their spot in the final with a narrow 1-0 win over the SA U18 Girls, with Germarrie Spershott scoring the decisive penalty corner goal in the 60th minute.

This victory marked an end to the U18 Girls' unbeaten run as they topped Pool A with a flawless record of three wins from three matches. The U18 Girls had started their campaign with victories over Southern Gauteng and Northerns Blues, culminating in a 5-1 win over WP Peninsula.

Western Province, on the other hand, fought their way to the final after a thrilling 2-2 draw against Northerns Blues, which was decided in a penalty shoot-out. Despite Ruby Kraus opening the scoring for Province early in the game, and Tara Parkendorf extending their lead in the third quarter, the Blues managed to pull two goals back late in the match, forcing the shoot-out.

Ultimately, Western Province emerged victorious with a 4-3 scoreline, securing their place in Friday's final and setting up a clash with North West for the U21 women's title.

The men's competition also saw Western Province confirm their participation in the final with a convincing 6-0 win over KZN Raiders. The defending champions had dominated the pool stage, securing four wins from four matches with a goal difference of plus-22. They were awaiting the result of the second men's semi-final between Northerns Blues and the SA U18 Boys.