SA women's hockey team victorious in Scotland

Pietie Coetzee

SA won the series 2-1 after Scotland had won the first Test 3-2, followed by the South Africans winning the second and third Test matches 4-1 and 5-2. Tuesday night's final international at the University of Edinburgh's Peffermill Sports Facility saw the encounter end in a 5-5 draw.

Tough competition

The world number 19 Scots, who were surprisingly knocked out of the World League in round two, punch considerably above their weight and gave world number 11 South Africa a right run for their money as the girls in green and gold made final preparations ahead of the Investec World League semi-finals tournament that begins in London on Saturday, 22 June 2013 and ends the following Sunday, June 30.

In their opening match, SA meet world number four England at 8 pm (SA time) Saturday. The South Africans meet world number two Argentina in a practice match at 5.30 pm (SA time) Thursday.

For striker and set-piece ace Pietie Coetzee there was much to smile about during the Scotland series; the talismanic South African netted 10 goals in the four matches.

In the feverish fourth Test, Scotland led three times in the match with SA fighting back on each occasion. After restoring parity at 3-3 in the second half thanks to a low shot from striker Dirkie Chamberlain, SA then took a 5-3 lead in the last 10 minutes through Coetzee's hat-trick goal and a Chamberlain strike that roofed the net, but this time it was the Scots' turn to claw back for the 5-5 final scoreline.

Results:

First match: Scotland 3 (Ali Howie, Morag McLellan and Nikki Kidd) South Africa 2 (Pietie Coetzee 2); second match SA 4 (Coetzee 3, Lilian du Plessis) Scotland 1 (Nicola Skrastin); third match SA 5 (Coetzee 2, Kelly Madsen, Tarryn Bright and Du Plessis) Scotland 2 (Kidd and Holly Cram); fourth match: SA 5 (Coetzee 3, Dirkie Chamberlain 2) Scotland 5 (Becky Merchant, Nikki Lloyd). SA won the series 2-1.