Blues Polo Power
Making a splash: Oxford’s triumphant women’s water polo team score again.
Oxford women’s water polo team headed to Nottingham for this year’s BUSA finals full of confidence. Virtually unbeaten all season and having won all three semi-final matches convincingly, Oxford knew they had a chance to prove their worth at this level. Opening against Manchester, the team made an excellent start with Anne Hagen and Jess Radford both scoring swiftly. The Blues’ defending was loose, but they were still 6-3 up at the end of the first period.
The northerners offered little in response as Hagen, Radford, Robin Cornuelle, Sarah Taylor and Stephanie Niven all scored to leave Manchester 13-4 down at half time. The hard work done, Oxford were able to relax into the game and ran out 18-7 winners after an inspired solo effort from Cornuelle left their opponents broken. In the second match Oxford were drawn against a Nottingham side keen on revenge having been overpowered by the Blues the week before.
A tight and physical encounter followed with the teams neck and neck throughout. Taylor was forced out injured and Oxford found themselves 7- 5 behind at half-time despite Becky Farrands’ first goal of the day. Oxford were still the stronger team, and despite Farrands’ needless sin bin in the final period the scores remained level at 8-8. Nottingham then missed a key penalty as Oxford began to pull ahead.
Cornuelle made the game safe in the last minute with a penalty goal, leaving the final score 11-9 to the Blues. Cardiff were now the only team who blocked Oxford’s path to the championship. The omens were not good as Cardiff were the only team to have defeated Oxford all season and proceeded to take an early 1-0 lead. The Blues lagged behind their opponents until the second half when Cardiff became increasingly tired and disorganised.
Oxford however returned after the interval with renewed determination, with shots from Cornuelle and Radford leveling the score at 5-5. Despite some desperate lob attempts from Cardiff, Oxford’s style, skill and sheer guts forced them into the lead with Oxford’s watertight defence keeping their opponents out at the other end.
Player of the tournament Hagen scored from centre-forward to take the lead before Cornuelle clinched the game and the championship with one of her trademark breaks to finish the match 9-7 to a jubilant Oxford team.
28th Apr 2005