[visiongallery set=72157632163297022]
Photos: Helen Leech
In a dramatic afternoon of action in the sports hall, Goodricke claimed top spot in the autumn term badminton league, despite slipping to a 6-4 defeat in a pulsating encounter against Alcuin which went down to the very final match. Halifax, Wentworth and Alcuin have all performed admirably in the league over the past weeks, but eventually it was Goodricke who prevailed in the final standings by the narrowest of margins, a single point.
On a day in which outdoor action was curtailed by the freezing conditions, the main drama was occurring in the warmth of the sports hall, as the final round of fixtures were required to decide the overall standings. Hockey, rugby and the majority of the football may have earlier been cancelled but the variety and brilliance of college sport was once more on display, as the afternoon ended in jubilant scenes for the Goodricke badminton side as they topped the table.
Goodricke may have claimed victory overall in the league, but they did suffer a reverse against Alcuin today, as with the contest finally poised at 4-4 going into the final match, Alcuin pairing David Lynas and Kelly Straysee defeated their opponents Dylan Langford and Daphne Allamenou 21-11. The victory handed made it five wins for Alcuin and four for Goodricke, and thus the bonus point was handed to Alcuin, leaving the final score line 6-4 to Alcuin.
In general the individual matches were of a very close and competitive nature, with five of the contests seeing the teams separated by only two or three points. Goodricke were indebted to the partnership of Meredith Daniel and Scot Edwards, who were particularly successful and arguably the strongest pairing on display.
For Alcuin the pairings of Lynas and Straysee and Dominik Binnington and Sarah Thomas impressed, but to be fair all twelve players involved displayed great guts and determination, creating a fascinating spectacle, which resulted in a tense and thrilling climax. Alcuin may have won this battle between the two colleges, but over the course of the term it was Goodricke who have prevailed.
Wentworth were also once more in fine form as they crushed Halifax 7-3, producing a dominant display to see off the threat of their opponents. The first four matches all ended in victories for the postgraduate college, with Amy Haley and Jack Kittiwong claiming two consecutive victories. Jonny Tam and Eleanor Daly won the fifth match for Halifax, to put them on the scoresheet, but Wentworth soon wrapped up victory by building an unassailable 5-1 lead.
Halifax rallied in the later matches, securing two victories, but the final score of 7-3 signaled a comfortable victory for Wentworth. Yet despite their best efforts Wentworth narrowly missed out on top spot, as it turned out to be Goodricke’s day. Today’s defeat will be forgotten by the college from Heslington East, since the team which have in the past been a self-called “joke team”, which has struggled at the foot of the table in the past, have become the champions of this term’s college badminton.