Oxford Off To Flyer
Womens Hockey
Early season roundup
by Serena Gosling
BOTH OF the womens' hockey teams got off to the best possible start to the season, winning early league and BUSA matches before the fresher intake had even arrived. The Blues started the season with nine of last year's squad still available to play as well as having lured Liz Fox (Queen's) back to University hockey.
The Blues can perhaps beconsidered fortunate to have won their first league match of the season 4-2 against Phoenix Ranalegh, seeing as they had lost their coach, JB, in St Albans and were hoping to be magically transported to Reading to play the match. Thankfully they arrived with five minutes to spare and having gone one goal down composed themselves and finished victorious.
This early league success was followed up by a storming 7-0 victory for the Second team over Plymouth Uni on Wednesday. Chloe Dalton (Oriel) thumped two home from right slip. However nothing really compares to the cheek of a new fresher, namely Tommy Kemp (Pembroke) scoring a hat-trick in her first University match. That was only seconded by Amy Gardiner (Catz) proving so impressive for the second team that she was whisked away at half time, only to appear on the Blues side an hour later as they played De Montford, Bedford in a friendly. The Blues came through this tough match to beat their opposition 2-1, leaving them positive about their first round BUSA clash against the Tabs in Cambridge this Wednesday.
The second round of league matches was marred by the fact that a young fresher by the name of Harriet Mather carelessly got lost in her matriculation photo (or was it the Turf?) and so failed to show for the Town v Gown derby against Oxford Hawks. Someone by the name of SuperGoz was roped in at the last minute by a now utterly desperate captain Brooks. The Blues held off the challenge from these women for a while but eventually an unfortunate defensive lapse of concentration allowed Hawks to score the first goal. Never a team to let their heads go down and bicker with each other on the pitch the Blues continued to mount attacks, only to be denied in the D. Finally a flick was awarded when one of the opposition got her thigh in the way of a Kingstone shot, while the goalie lay helplessly on the floor. Nat Orringe (Jesus) put right earlier mistakes by scoring from the flick and was heard to mutter to herself as she walked away, "so that's one all to Orringe". Not content yet with her part in the game, this hard hitting sweeper launched a ball into the knee of the new recruit. Luckily the game ended five minutes later with the score at 1-1.
Later that afternoon the second team beat Phoenix Ranelagh II 1-0, securing a crucial three points in their quest to win their local league. The goal was scored by new recruit, Kendrah Potts (St Hilda's), but the number of chances and high standard of play - particularly by Jemma Rooker (SEH) at central defender - suggests that the Ms should have a good chance against Bristol Uni on Wednesday.
14th Oct 1999