Glory for Swarnamali Girls School
Swarnamali Girls School Kandy crowned themselves with glory when they emerged girls champions at the Sri Lanka Schools Under-18 Boys' and Girls' Hockey Championship 2018 worked off at Rajaraja University ground in Mihintale.
They beat fancied Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa by 2 goals to nil in the final to record their first ever major title win at a national level hockey competition.
The closely contested girls' final saw forward Amali Edirisooriya scoring the first goal in the first session and left inside Sarani Rangila netting the second in the second session to give their side a 2-0 win and title.
The four-day tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Association attracted 17 girls teams from leading hockey playing schools across the island.
In the run up to the finals Swarnamali girls remained unbeaten to outplay Ladies College Colombo 2- 0, Christ Church College Matale 2- 0 and then drew with Visakha college Colombo in the qualifying round. They had the better of Yasodhara girls school Colombo 3- 0 in the quarter-final and then went on to beat fancied Janadhipathi girls Nawala 3- 2 on penalties in the semi-finals.
Swarnamali's T. S . Kasthuriarachchi was named the Best Player while the award for the Best Goalkeeper was won by Neeliya Kaushini of Holy Family Wennappuwa.