Hat-trick by Bhagya Fernando bags it for BC!

In a commanding display of skill and strategy, Bishop’s College triumphed over long-time rivals Ladies’ College with a historic 3-0 win in their annual LC-BC Hockey encounter, held at Police Park last Saturday. Leading 1-0 at halftime, Bishop’s College extended their dominance in the second half to secure one of the most decisive victories yet.

The day’s excitement began with the Under-17 match, which ended in a thrilling goal-less draw. However, it was the Under-19 match that secured the overall title for Bishop’s College, as they clinched the coveted shield and brought it back to Boyd Place.

Bishop’s College’s success was built on a remarkable combination of aggressive attacking play and resilient defense lead by Anika Tennakoon. The team captained by Nethra Shankar dominated the field, consistently pressuring their opponents with numerous shots on goal, several of which narrowly missed the mark.

The standout performer of the match was undoubtedly senior player Bhagya Fernando, who delivered an exceptional performance by scoring all three goals for her team. Her precise execution in set plays and her unstoppable offensive drives left the opposition defense helpless.

This victory is the latest highlight in an already successful season for the Bishop’s College Hockey team, who recently secured 3rd place in the Western Province and have qualified for both the National School Games and the quarterfinals of the All-Island Hockey Tournament. Additionally, five Bishop’s College players have been selected to represent the Colombo Schools Hockey squad this year, while senior goalie Vinaya Perera was selected to the National pool.

Held for the 18^th year, the annual Hockey encounter between the 2 sister-schools has been one of the most anticipated encounters since 2005. With this victory, the overall result stands at 9 wins by Ladies’ College to 6 wins by Bishop’s College while both schools have shared the honours on 3 occasions. The 2020 encounter was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic while the 2021 game won by Bishop’s College, was played only as a friendly match also due to the pandemic.

Special Awards

Under 19
Best Offensive Player – Bhagya Fernando (Bishop’s College)
Best Defensive Player – Anya Abhayaratne (Ladies’ College)
Best Goal Keeper – VinayaPerera (Bishop’s College)

Under 17
Best Offensive Player – Maika Tennekoon (Bishop’s College)
Best Defensive Player – Minelle De Fonseka (Ladies’ College)
Best Goal Keeper – Pranali Britto (Ladies’ College)