GIANN Willott celebrated her 18th birthday in style on Tuesday by scoring the winning goal in MacKillop College Bathurst's second game of the NSW Combined Catholic College (CCC) Girls Hockey Championships on home turf.
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Willott scored from an early penalty corner in the Bathurst school's game against MacKillop College Port Macquarie at the Cooke Hockey Complex, and it would be the only goal separating the two schools at the end of the 40 minute match.
The goal went along with the four others Willott scored in the team's big 9-0 win to start the tournament against Saint Scholastica's College.
"That feels great," Willott said of her five goals.
"Port Macquarie looked like a tough team so it was good to win that one.
"That just got a few breaks that we could catch. We had most of the attack, but it was a fairly even game."
Willott said it's great having the rare experience of representing her school alongside friends.
"We don't usually going to any carnivals or other games throughout the year so this is the only chance we get to play as a school. It's really good to be able to put a team together," she said.
"Most of us have played together before, either at rep level or at club hockey, so most of us know each other well."
Early goal proves difference in a tough grind
MacKillop Bathurst earned their goal less than three minutes into the game when Willott's shot from the top of the circle found the target.
Port Macquarie enjoy a couple of circle penetrations, and earned a penalty corner of their own, but the home side saw off the danger and started to create more chances towards the end of the first half.
Bathurst dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half but Port Macquarie remained disciplined in defence within their own circle - forcing errors and blocking several shot attempts.
Possession remained evenly split over the remaining time as Port Macquarie continually kept the home side on their toes with a couple of counter attack attempts.
MacKillop Bathurst earned themselves one more penalty corner in the dying minutes of the game but couldn't take advantage.
The Bathurst side came up short of a day one clean sweep after going down 3-0 to Lismore later in the day.
MacKillop had kept proceedings at nil-all until 14 minutes to go, when their opponents put away three quick goals to seal the result.
Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
