A Tegan Fourie hat-trick, completed with a 39th-minute equaliser, earned the SPAR South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team a dramatic 4–4 draw against Namibia in the fifth and final Test in Windhoek on Sunday afternoon.
The result brought an absorbing five-match series to a close with honours shared at two victories apiece and one draw. Having lost the opening two Tests, South Africa fought back to win the next two before twice recovering from behind in the final encounter.
Fourie led the scoring for South Africa with two penalty-corner goals and a penalty stroke, while Cerian Fourie also converted a penalty corner. Namibia’s goals came through an Azaylee Philander brace, Ottilie Hinda and Jivanka Kruger.
With the series level heading into the final match, Namibia made the first breakthrough. Philander scored from open play in the third minute to give the hosts an early advantage.
South Africa responded through Tegan Fourie, who converted a penalty corner in the eighth minute to bring the teams level. The opening quarter ended at 1–1, but Namibia restored their lead in the second period when Hinda scored in the 15th minute.
The hosts carried that 2–1 advantage into halftime, leaving South Africa needing another response after their comeback victories in the third and fourth Tests.
That response arrived in an eventful third quarter.
Tegan Fourie converted a penalty stroke in the 25th minute to level the scores at 2–2. Three minutes later, Cerian Fourie struck from a penalty corner to put South Africa ahead for the first time in the match.
The lead lasted only a minute. Philander converted a penalty corner in the 29th minute for her second goal, bringing Namibia level at 3–3 and ensuring the series remained finely balanced heading into the final ten minutes.
Kruger then scored from open play in the 33rd minute to restore Namibia’s advantage. At 4–3, the hosts were closing in on the victory they needed to claim the series.
South Africa, however, found one more answer.
Tegan Fourie converted a penalty corner in the 39th minute to complete her hat-trick and bring the visitors level for the third time. Neither side could find a further goal, leaving the final Test drawn and the series shared.
Fourie finished the weekend with five goals, having also scored in the second and fourth Tests. Her late equaliser provided a fitting conclusion to a series in which the margins became increasingly narrow: three successive matches were decided by one goal before the eight-goal final encounter ended level.
For Calvin Price’s side, the weekend combined an important introduction to international indoor hockey for four debutants with a determined recovery from two early defeats. South Africa finished with two wins and a draw from the final three Tests, bringing a competitive series to a close on equal terms.
