Strathmore upset Orange to take over national league leadership

By Oscar Pilipili

Strathmore University upset champions Telkom Orange 1-0 in a thrilling national women’s hockey league match to bag maximum points and jump to the top of table standings.

This is the first time for the reigning league champions to be dethroned from the top, which they had occupied throughout this season.

The goal that destroyed Orange’s hopes of winning the league on unbeaten record was scored by Lucy Wanjiru in the 46th minute, which was hotly contested at City Park Stadium.

Both teams displayed a purposeful game and created own chances but it was a short corner converted by Wanjiru that ended Orange’s unbeaten run.

The students are now perched at the top of table standings with 35 points off 14 matches while the telecommunication girls are second on 33 points and two matches in hand.

It was a bountiful weekend for campus teams as United States International University Africa (Usiu-A) hit Sliders 2-0 with a brace from Pauline Naise.

The victory enabled Usiu-A to improve their ranking from seventh to sixth position with 15 points off 12 matches.

Following the weekend matches, Blue Eaglets are placed third with 19 points off 12 matches followed by Sliders (18-14), Usiu-A (17-12), Vikings (15-12), Mombasa Sports Club (13-11), Kenyatta University (13-14) and Multimedia (0-13). In the premiership league, Kisumu Simba capitalised on the absence of top two teams Nairobi Simba and Kenya Police who were out of action this weekend to bag four points and narrow the gap between them and the frontrunners.

The lakeside cats were held to 1-1 draw by KCA University but roared back to maul Green Sharks 3-2 in their next match and bag four valuable points.

In the first match, KCA University were the first to score after Tony Simiyu sounded the boards in the 11th minute but Simba roared back with an equaliser off Dan Ayengo in the 60th minute.

Zack Aura recorded a brace while Brian Richard contributed one goal for Kisumu in their second match against Greensharks.

Western Jaguars returned home empty-handed after they lost all their two fixtures in the City.