Girls’ hockey at Cheltenham College has had a storming start to the winter term, with the U18 team reaching the National Finals for the first time and the U16 team triumphing in the County Championships to go on and represent Gloucestershire in the West of England Regionals.

On Sunday 8th November, Cheltenham College girls’ U18 1st XI represented Gloucestershire at the Regional Hockey Championships, held at Clifton College, Bristol. Up against teams such as Millfield and schools all the way from the Channel Islands, it was set to be a tough battle. The Cheltenham girls dug deep and tackled each match with real determination, winning 6 matches out of 8 in the round robin competition. Despite defeats by Millfield and Blundells, the girls finished strongly with solid wins over Marlborough 4-0, Truro 7-0 and Bryanston 4-0 and came an overall 2nd, gaining a coveted place in the National Finals. Topping off the success was Charlotte Alway’s award of top scorer of the Tournament! The Finals will be held in March 2010.

The U16s girls also have the National Finals firmly on their horizons. On Tuesday 10th November, the Cheltenham College U16 team won the title of County Champions, defeating 5 local Gloucestershire teams. It was an extremely tight competition, with the girls playing 7 games, winning 5 and scoring 17 goals while conceding only 3. They defeated local sides Cheltenham Ladies 3-0, St Peter’s 5-0, Pates 3-0, Balcarras 4-0 and St Edwards 1-0, scoring the winning goal in this latter match just 20 seconds before full time! Whitecross proved tough opponents, with a final score of 1-1 and a tightly contested battle with Dean Close saw the girls lose their only match of the day 1-0. However, with 17 goals scored, 5 by Lydia Day alone and 5 matches won, the College side emerged victorious and the girls now go on to represent the county at the West of England Finals later this month.

Caroline Park, Assistant Director of Sport at Cheltenham College commented: ”These are fantastic achievements and show just how much the girls have progressed in their hockey. All the players showed real determination and talent, working really hard as a team to secure the wins and they should be proud of themselves. Last year both our U16 boys’ and U16 girls’ teams reached the National Finals and we hope to send even more teams through this year.”

U18 Girls’ Hockey Team:
Lucy Caines (C), Polly North, Lucy Peel, Phoebe Cruikshank, Minna Peake, Robyn Stovold, Holly Chipman, Emma Bevan, Bea Reeve-Tucker, Amelia Scott-Hopkins, Rosie Pearson-Gregory, Emma Beresford, Eugenie Eley, Laura Bevan, Charlotte Alway.

U16 Girls’ Hockey Team (photo above):
Lydia Shortt (C), Georgia Pemberton, Annie Townley, Maddy Parsley, Chloe Shelbourne-Ralph, Olivia Nunn, Issy Tomkinson, Effie Parnell-Hopkinson, Lily Haycraft Mee, Georgia Gunn, Olivia Schofield, Philippa Morris, Lydia Day, Frankie Dent, Beth Jones and Philippa Evans.