Netball women bite back at Huddersfield with superb win
Photo: Sam Newsome
UNIVERSITY OF YORK FIRSTS 39 vs. UNIVERSITY OF HUDDERSFIELD 34
BUCS Northern Conference 4B, Wednesday 18th February 2009
Screaming fans, fast-flowing end-to-end moves, and enough goals to entertain for six or seven quarters never mind the usual four, netball at York is a game that holds a tenacious grip on every specator’s attention. In gaining a superlative and thoroughly deserved revenge on top-of-the-table Huddersfield for an away defeat in November, Wednesday was no different for the black and gold women of York.
In finally crossing the steely sports centre turnstile just under an hour late, the omens seemed rather ominous for the visiting side, and so it proved with their play particularly sloppy in the first quarter. York took a few minutes to find their stride, but once they did, they dominated the opening period, wracking up a 23-9 lead going into the half-time break. Goal Shooter Sarah Fisher shot particularly well and her accuracy set the tone for afternoon.
Home netball first team matches are nigh-on unique at York as, invariably, the second or third teams stay to support their talented seniors, providing a hot and fiery atmosphere in an otherwise dull tent. And when York faltered early in the second half, the shouting from the sidelines boardered on the hysterical and must be credited with helping York overcome a patch of dangerously loose play.
Having worn off some early road-rustiness, Huddersfield demonstrated exactly why sit proudly atop of Northern Conference 4B – their Goal Attacker a constant menace to the York back two of Tess Olsen and Grace Marsden – and began a very steady comeback, keeping the scoreboard ticking over gently before York had realised their lead had been cut to three.
With the score at 33-30, a superb five minute spell in the fourth quarter secured the points for York, who will have every right to feel satisfied with their team performance, despite the second half slump.
After the game, York Captain Tess Olsen cited the team’s excellent defensive peformance as the key to their success.
“We knew this would be a close match after the defeat earlier in the season and we’ve been working hard in preparation,” she said. “Our defense today was suberb. We had been specifically training to deal with their style of play, because they move the ball very fast and look to counter attack, so it is really pleasing for it to come together like that.”
Olsen also suggested the late start had disadvantaged York’s opponents who had “come on cold” but, understandably, had little sympathy for such tardiness.
York’s have two fantastic shooters in Goal Attack Sarah Pycroft and Goal Shooter Sarah Fisher and have relied on their talents for going on three years now. Once again, they were exemplary, especially in the key five minute spell at the end of the game, making shot after shot. York have two games left and will need their star scorers on top form if they are to catch Huddersfield, with gap between first and York in second still standing at three points.
“It will depend on how the teams around us do but we will keep pushing to the end,” said Olsen. York play Teeside and bottom team York St. John in their final two encounters over the next few weeks, whilst Huddersfield have a marginally more difficult schedule against Northumbria and Teeside.
York Line-up: GK-Olsen, GD-Marsden, WD-Brunskill, C-Cowell (Fisher), WA-Dessain, GA-Pycroft, GS-Fisher
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