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Shining in Africa Women’s Hockey

On 19th January 2014 Strathmore University women’s hockey team made history, as they were the first university women’s hockey club to reach the finals of the continent’s club hockey championship. The hockey championships bring together league winners and runners-up of Africa Women’s hockey leagues. The championship now in its 26th year was held in Kampala, Uganda. Teams came from all over Africa to do battle for the coveted title of the Club Champions of Africa Hockey. Having finished runners up in the Kenya Hockey Premier league, Strathmore women’s team also known as Scorpions together with the league winners Orange-Telkom represented Kenya at the prestigious tournament.

 

With four Kenya internationals, the Scorpions went to Kampala with one mission, to win the trophy! They started their campaign with a 11-0 thrashing of the hosts Kampala Hockey Club, they followed it with a 2-1 win over Ghana Revenue Authority ( 2012 finalists). At the end of the preliminary games the Scorpions  were at the top of  their pool and were to face Uganda’s Weatherheads Hockey Club in the semi-finals! The ladies didn’t disappoint; they won the tight match with a convincing 2-0 score line. History had been made, Strathmore was the first university women’s side to reach the finals of the continents premier tournament for clubs.  Still under the veteran coach MeshackSenge, the University’s men’s team was the first university side to reach the men’s Africa Club championships in 2011 in Lusaka, Zambia.

 

In the Kampala finals, Strathmore faced their compatriots Orange-Telkom, it was an all Kenyan final. The final was tense and tactical. Telkom using their vast experience peeped Strathmore 2-0 to retain the continetal crown they won in Zimbabwe previously.

Speaking after the final whistle the coach MrMeshackSenge said “ It is never easy to accept a loss in the finals but am happy with our achievement , the girls played their all, and now we will go back to the drawing board and prepare for the next championships”.

 

Strathmore’s Yvonne Wanjiku was the tournament’s top scorer, having scored seven times. It is worth noting that in 2011 when Strathmore’s men’s team finished 2nd in the continental show piece, Strathmore’s Emmanuel Simiyu also won the top scorer award with 11 goals to his name.

 

The Scorpions are the reigning National University Hockey Champions a title they have won for the last three years.

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