Super semis for Maccabi Victoria hockey teams
Four out of five Maccabi Hockey teams played in semis last Sunday, and three won to advance to prelim finals
Maccabi Hockey Club’s men’s metro 1 east side kept their premiership hopes alive last Sunday after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Knox in an elimination final.
Having lost 3-1 to Knox a week earlier, Maccabi were determined to start strongly, and did so by controlling possession and creating several early chances, leading to Benji Gore scoring what turned out to be the winning goal in the eighth minute, calmly converting a penalty corner.
Maccabi’s defence held firm until the final whistle, and their keeper, Josh Adelman, made an outstanding save of a late penalty attempt.
The win earned fourth-placed Maccabi a preliminary final against Camberwell this Sunday at Hawthorn Malvern Hockey Centre.
In men’s metro 2 south, fourth-placed Maccabi secured an impressive 3-1 victory away to Mentone in their elimination final.
Maccabi led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Daniel Guttmann producing a superb finish.
Mentone levelled the score midway through the third quarter, setting up a tense final period, but Maccabi were ready for that, and sealed the win through another Guttmann goal and a goal off a short corner play by returning squad member Joseph Brasacchio.
They will play Old Collegians in a preliminary final this Sunday, also in Hawthorn.
Also on the winners’ list and advancing was Maccabi’s third-placed men’s 40 and over side, but it took a penalty shoot-out – which they won 3-0 after scores had been tied at full-time – to overcome Melbourne High School Old Boys.
Gary Brown got the closest to scoring during regular time, but his powerful strike was stunningly saved. And it was a gritty, effort-filled performance by fourth-placed Maccabi against a formidable opponent in the U16 mixed southeast semi-finals last Sunday, against first-placed Doncaster.
Several Maccabi U16 team members played above their age division in the decider, and rose to that challenge.
But in the end, in the key moments, Doncaster proved too strong, winning 5-0.
Making the finals highlighted how far in growth and development this young Maccabi side has come.