Our U11 girls are IAPS hockey champions after a brilliant day of hockey at the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) tournament at Bryanston School. The team showed skill, spirit and nerves of steel to bring the trophy home to Exeter.
From the pool stages to a last-gasp semi-final
The girls set the tone early with some convincing wins in the pool stages. Those performances carried them confidently into the knockout rounds, where the competition got even tougher.
The semi-final against Millfield went right down to the wire. With just five seconds remaining, the girls scored a late goal to snatch victory and book their place in the final.
Holding their nerve in the final
In the final, the team faced Sherborne in a tightly contested match. Neither side could break the deadlock, and the game finished 0–0 at full time.
That meant penalty shuffles. The girls kept their composure under pressure and held their nerve to win the shootout in sudden death, sealing the title.
Next stop: the IAPS National Finals
The team’s success means the adventure isn’t over yet. The girls will now represent Exeter at the National Finals in November, hosted at Repton School. We can’t wait to cheer them on!
A huge well done to Polly and the hockey coaching team for all their fantastic work with the girls this year. Their dedication has clearly paid off. A big thank you, too, to Mrs Van for coming along to support the girls on the day.
Congratulations to every player on such a brilliant achievement. You’ve done Exeter School proud!
