Women’s Tournament 4 – 16/02/2019 @ Oxford
Tournament 4 – 16/02/2019 @Oxford
It was our last tournament of the regular season and our last chance to make it into the post-season.
Our first game against the unbeaten Stallions was played soon after their successful opening match against the Saints. We started with the ball and began to move on the Stallions getting close to scoring on our opening drive. However, rookie penalties and a high snap pushed us back to a point where we could not finish the drive. A see-saw battle then ensued with both defences stopping any offensive play short and we went into half time 0-0.
Coming out for the second half and buoyed by our first half performance we were hoping to keep our momentum going and maybe do the unthinkable and beat Wembley. But it was not to be, fatigue set in amongst our players whilst Wembley’s rotation was able to pick up any slack on their side. Eventually the Stallions were able to break the deadlock and from then on it seemed business as usual with their ground rushing attack lead by Angie Sowerby wearing us down. The score was to finish 28-0 to Wembley but we could see that we were improving against them and in time will be in a position to challenge them.
A sort break followed before our next and final game against Oxford. We had already gone up against the Saints twice this season, the first time in our opening game of the year they beat us soundly, the second time was a much closer affair with them winning by one score, so a win this time would prove to ourselves that we were continuing to progress and would allow us to hopefully erase the memory of our last outing at Oxford in last year’s Div2B finals.
The Saints started the game with the ball but an unfortunate fumble gifted us possession close to their goal line from where Kirsty McIntyre ran the ball in for six. Oxford were not to be deterred by their start and drove the ball downfield to even the score 6-6. Awesome defensive play lead by our game MVP DL Megan Munro and LB Clare Lewis were to hold Oxford to six points and two more scores by our versatile RB, WR, LB, CB, QB Sarah ‘Millsy’ Miller assisted by textbook O-line blocking put us ahead at half time 20-6.
The start of the second half saw the Saints employ their half time adjustments to devastating effect and two unanswered scores pulled them alongside us at 20-19. However that was to be the last of their scoring, a safety credited to Kirsty and a final TD by ‘Millsy’ (with a 2pt conversion QB scramble by Dora ‘Dory’ Bogdan) sealed our victory.
We now have a few weeks to prepare for the post season and the opportunity to be in the finals twice in two seasons. Whatever the results of the playoffs/finals. We the coaches couldn’t be any prouder of the team.
