Sporting scholar Vicki McCabe helps England Hockey make history with bronze at the Women’s Junior World Cup in South Africa
University of Bath sporting scholar Vicki McCabe helped England win their first-ever medal at a FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup as they secured bronze in dramatic style in South Africa.
The Sports Performance student (left in picture), who is supported by an Ivor Powell Scholarship, featured in all five on England’s games in Potchefstroom and started three of them, including Tuesday’s third-place play-off with India.
A thrilling contest saw England take the lead, then fall 2-1 behind before levelling 90 seconds from time, with McCabe playing a key role in the equaliser, to force a shootout which they won 3-0.
McCabe, who plays for Team Bath Buccaneers and the University women’s student team, grabbed the winner in England’s second group match against Ireland. That, along with an opening-day success against the host nation, put England into the quarter-finals where they came from behind to beat United States 2-1.
Germany proved too strong in the semi-finals, winning 8-0, but England responded brilliantly to the setback to come home with a well-deserved medal.
There was more cause for celebration for McCabe’s student team-mates back home as a 4-1 win over Newcastle in the promotion play-off secured a BUCS Premier Division place for the 2022-23 season for the women’s 1sts.
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