In this popular and well-attended event, our best college netballers went head to head against Lancaster’s, but, after a close encounter, lost out to the Red Rose.
The College Select team, captained by future York Sport President Charlotte Winter, fought hard throughout the match but were pipped to the post by just three goals.
After Anna Yeomans took the game’s first centre pass for York, Lancaster went two goals up and maintained the lead throughout the match.
It was Charlotte Winter with the first shot for York, but was too close to the post to make an impact on the scoreline. This shot, and the flailing arms from the rebound however, resulted in Winter losing a contact lens; but time wasn’t called and she played on for the rest of the quarter with only one fully-functioning eye.
Lancaster put out a strong quad, with reliable shooters down one end, and no-nonsese tight marking defenders down the other. And while there was great spacing on court by Yeomans throughout, and Frankie Hall’s speed and agility made her a crucial player during York’s attacking sprees.
Other notable moments in the first quarter were a fantastic swooping shoulder pass from Hall in to Winter, who was guarding the goal. But again, York’s shooters just couldn’t get the ball through the hoop.
The frustrated York shooters got their first as Jessica Russell’s shot flew through the hoop after a series of imaginative passes around the D from the WA and C. Soon after, Winter also got her first of the match, which meant the score read 3-2. But, as one York bystander said: “at the moment we’re playing hot potato”, andYork simply could not get the ball through the hoop as often as their opponents. Lancaster extended their lead, and by the end of the first quarter, the score read 8-2.
Lancaster dominated the opening to the second quarter with a series of sleek passes towards the D after their centre pass, before adding another to their tally. York responded immediately by scoring their third of the match, while shortly after, a foul in the D on York’s goal attack, Russell, saw the away team achieve another. This spurred York on, who worked hard to claw back the difference with tight marking and short, bursting runs, and they managed to get the score up to 9-6. But the home team edged ahead again and the as the whistle sounded to mark the half way point in the match, York were trailing 12-8.
Both teams took a while to get into their stride after the break. Yeomans continued to leap around the court like a gracefull gazelle, but York only achieved three goals in the third quarter, while the home team extended their lead by another five.
Everything was still to play for in the final quarter and the teams displayed aggressive, competitive, and high quality sporting prowess. York took their opposition by surprise, scoring three goals in two minutes. The players gave it their all and York looked as if they could win the game back, but still Lancaster clung on, with solid defending and their shooters scoring four more. York’s final push was not quite enough to steal victory from the home side.
York fell a fraction short in this game, suffering what would be the first of five defeats in the Roses 2012 netball matches. As the final whistle blew, the score read 21-18, giving Lancaster another point.
Winter commented: “Yes, we’re pleased and really happy with the score. I hate saying this but I wasn’t overly happy with the refereeing decisions… But I don’t like saying that and at the end of the day they did play very well and their shooters were incredible. However, I’m so proud of our girls.”
