It was another successful weekend for Casey Hockey Club as the Men’s Vic League (MVL2) team progressed to the grand final in a dramatic fashion.
Despite beating Eastern Christian Hockey Organisation (ECHO) twice throughout the season and finishing on top of the ladder, this game went down to the wire.
When the final whistle sounded, the scores were level at 5-5 and the game was to be decided by a shootout.
Cannons’ goalkeeper Matthew Hollway stood up when it mattered most, helping his side through to the grand final with Casey winning 3-1 in the shootout.
Tristan Chaffey was at his best for Casey, netting four goals for the game as the star led the way for his side.
Other scorers on the day were Bryan Young, Elliot Stephens, Matthew Light and Charlie Coster.
Adam Shilliday led the way for the MVL2 reserves as his team defeated Melbourne High School Old Boys (MHSOB) 4-2 in an elimination final.
The most recent outing against MHSOB finished in a draw, but this time the Cannons were firing.
Shilliday scored two goals to give the team the lead, while Matt Guastella and Tadhg McCurran also impacted the scoreboard.
The Cannons will take on Werribee Hockey Club in a preliminary final this Sunday at Elgar Park.
The Women’s Vic League (WVL1) Cannons were far too good for Yarra Hockey Club, winning 4-1.
Casey’s usual stars were at their best, with Samantha Wagg, Charlotte Smith, Samantha Dobrich and Mikaela Davis all scoring one goal.
The win and goal was made even more special for Davis, who was playing her 250th game for the club.
The Cannons will look ahead to Saturday when they take on Greensborough in second semi-final at State Sport Centres in Parkville.
The WVL1 reserves were the only team last weekend to fall short, with their season coming to an end at the hands of Melbourne University, 2-1.
Courtney McDonald was the sole goalscorer for the Cannons, who will look back on the year with pride after finishing fourth and winning 10 games.
In the Women’s Pennant E South competition, Casey Cannons went down 2-0 against first-placed Southern United in a penalty shootout, after the regular time finished at 0-0.
The games between these top-two sides have been ultra-competitive this season, entering this game with a 1-1 record.
While United were too good on the day, that doesn’t mean the Cannons’ season is over yet, with a preliminary final against Bayside Powerhouse set for this Sunday at Elgar Park.
All four of the Casey junior teams had wins last weekend and will take the field for their grand finals this weekend.
The Under-16 teams both defeated MCC last weekend, while the Under-12 teams defeated Southern and Hawthorn respectively.
