Members of the champion Raiders team pose before the goal following their finals victory over the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) at the Mona Astro Turf. Front - Donovan Shakespare (GK); second row (from left) Rasaan Smith, David East, Michael Marshall, Larklin Christie (captain); back row (left to right) Richard O. Shaw (manager), Yohan Williams, Darren Levy, Brian Brodber, Nicholas Beach, Richard Brown, Gerald Richards, Kingsley Morris (coach). - Contributed

Defending champions Raiders United successfully defended their men's club title in the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Bowl Invitational Six-A-Side Hockey Tournament, this after defeating the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) 3-2 in the final at the Mona astro turf on Sunday night.

In the female equivalent, Tropics 'A' took the title, while the University of the West Indies (UWI) and St. Andrew High School also emerged winners in the women's competitions.

Tropics 'A' defeated perennial challengers St. Andrew Hockey Club 1-0 to capture the female title.

In the tertiary section, the University of Technology (UTech) defeated UWI 4-2 to lift the men's title, but in the female category, UWI turned the tables on UTech by edging them 1-0.

In the high schools finals, a brace from Demi Nicholson and a strike by Stephanie Channer led St. Andrew High to a 3-0 victory over Wolmer's.

In the Raiders and JDF encounter, first half goals from Nicholas Beach and Gerald Richards carried Raiders to a 2-1 lead at the half-time break.

On the resumption, the JDF drew level through a Marlon Martin strike.

However, Gerald Richards converted a penalty corner with five minutes to go which enabled Raiders United to defend the title which they won last year under the name of 'Maroons'.

Winning goal from MVP

In the female club finals, an 18th field goal from the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP), Shakeera Elliott, carried Tropics 'A' to their 1-0 victory over St. Andrew Hockey Club.

In the tertiary female section, UWI won the Guardian Life Trophy, but had to go the full distance, into extra-time, to defeat UTech 1-0 with a 'golden goal' in the first minute of extra-time from Patricia Blake, who followed through to slot home the rebound from Elliott's shot.

In the men's tertiary encounter, national player Darren Levy put UWI 1-0 up in the 10th minute through a penalty corner conversion with a powerful drag flick, but Gerald Richards converted in similar fashion three minutes later.

Breather for UTech

UTech got a breather when they went 2-1 up in the 14th minute, regaining some form of comfort going into the half-time interval.

After the break UTech went further ahead when they caught the UWI defence napping and national midfielder, Richard Brown, ran on to flick home a short pass from a free hit just outside the UWI shooting circle.

UTech completed their scoreline in the 26th minute with a field goal from tertiary MVP and leading goal scorer, Gerald Richards.

UWI cut the deficit with their second goal, from former Barbadian national Kwame Emmanuel, in the 27th minute, but it was a case of too little too late as they could not find the third goal they desperately needed.