Outstanding women’s squash team win BUCS Cup
Photo: George Lowther
At York sporting success is not common, but it is even rarer to see complete sporting dominance. In the packed Sports Centre on Wednesday it was shown that, sometimes, we too can be the University that opponents dread to see next on the fixture list. York’s female squash team have won the BUCS Cup, and have done so stylishly.
A 3-1 win over Leeds University seconds was sealed when Lydia Vas Nunes completed her 11-9, 11-2, 9-11, 11-7 victory over a spirited but outmatched Phyliss Mok. Nunes could have wrapped it up earlier when she was 9-4 up in the third game but, with her eyes on the prize, complacency stepped in and York had to wait just a little longer for victory.
It was a just result for a York team that have played remarkably in this tournament. Caroline Watchurst’s tight loss to Leeds Captain Emma Larcombe was the only time in the whole competition that a York player lost a match. Even more remarkable is the fact that all of their fixtures have been teams in the Northern Conference 2A or 2B, the latter being York’s division. The defeated finalists finished the season above York in the table, and one point off promotion.
Yet it would be a mistake to call today’s match a walkover – the early stages were tight and tense. York Captain Johanna Augustus lost her first game 11-8 – playing inconsistently and not looking entirely focused. She recovered well to win the next game, but after approximately half an hour played she was trailing 2-1 and Leeds’ Larcombe had found her rhythm to level the scores at 2-2 in her match with Watchurst. A large crowd had gathered to watch York’s elite girls, consisting of YUSU president Tom Scott and York Sport President Alex Lacy. While they tried to work out the rules, Augustus and Watchurst began to realise that their cup could be slipping away.
Watchurst was then to lose her final game 11-6, giving the first blood to Leeds, but some outstanding squash by York’s Captain levelled the overall scores. Augustus won her fourth game 11-6, attacking every point and causing her opponent massive problems. Curtis was clearly stunned and collapsed in the final game – losing 10-4. At the crucial moment, Augustus had arrived.
It was to be the turning point of the game. Jess Hunter and Lydia Vas Nunes, York’s top two seeds, rarely lose and at this crucial stage they were not about to start. Jess Hunter comfortably won her match 13-11, 11-7, 11-5. As she finished her last game the crowd erupted in cheers, knowing that the home side had one hand on the prize. Nunes, 2-0 up on the other court, had been playing even more impressively and it fell on her to seal the win. Despite a loss of concentration at the end of the third, her result never looked in doubt.
When victory was assured the team and the crowd went wild. After a group hug, Johanna Augustus thanked the crowd for ‘good support’ as well as praising the huge effort of her team-mates. Alex Lacy praised the girls for an “absolutely fantastic result” which he hoped would be the “start of a stream of BUCS Cup titles for women’s teams”.
As he handed over the medals he conceded that success of this kind did not come to York often, but the sheer dominance that this team has shown over the whole competition suggests that, in women’s squash, it might become a more regular occurrence.
Team Line-ups:
York – Jessica Hunter, Lydia Vas Nunes, Caroline Watchurst, Johanna Augustus (c)
Leeds – Sarah Hughes, Phyliss Mok, Emma Larcombe (c), Amy Curtis
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