by Katie Magill

SUWPC ladies returned to the pool for the first match of 2022 for their home game against Barts. With a full squad of 13 and a very short warm-up, with a lack of ball drills, they were lined up ready for the first swim off. 

After losing the coin toss and Rhia losing the first swim off. The team redeemed themselves with Abbie stealing the ball and passing it off to Katie who scored the first goal within the first 30 seconds of the game. A few more successful steals resulted in another 2 goals from Katie and Esme. Barts, managed to steal the ball from Char to which she responded by pulling one of their players back resulting in her getting sent out. After 2 saves from Antonia, we were back in possession. The ball was passed up the right wing to Abbie who scored her first goal of the match. A great pass from Antonia nearly to the other end of the pool resulted in another goal from Katie. A very tactical missed shot from Rhia resulted in the ball hitting off the post into Charlotte’s hand who scored the 6th goal of the quarter. Abbie wrapped up the 1st quarter with another goal making the score 7-0 going into the second quarter.

Katie lost the second swim off, but Bart’s attempt on goal was shut down by another save from Antonia. A great steal from Meg resulted in a man-up for SUWPC where we lost possession, but quickly stole back resulting in another goal from Charlotte. A ball under from Bart’s and a quick pass up to Char who scored gave us a score of 9-0 and the end of the second quarter.

After a team talk at half time about marking tight. Esme marked a little too tight after giving away a free and was excluded. In our next attack a great swim down the right wing by Charlotte resulted in her third goal of the match. This was followed up by another goal from Katie. Esme was excluded again, but great defence meant we were back to 7 players in the pool very quickly.  A quick swim from Claudia meant she was free, she received the ball and put it straight into the net. She then had a quick float to recover. Natalia followed this up with her first goal of the game. This was followed by another exclusion for SUWPC, this time Rhia. Unfazed, we gained possession again set up an arc (impressive!!) and Katie scored from pit. Bart’s then fought back, shooting at the the net resulting in a goal which Antonia watched float in (her own words.) An exclusion of one of the Bart’s players meant that Char scored a goal in the last 10 seconds of the third quarter making the score 15-1.

Into the last quarter and Rhia wins the final swim off. A dodgy exclusion of Esme meant that she now had 3 exclusions and was out of the game. A bit of confusion as to what direction we were attacking from some players was clarified by captain Katie telling them to swim the other way, but not before we had lost possession and Meg was excluded resulting in another man-down. Bart’s scored from being man-up bringing the score to 15-2. A minute later Claudia gets excluded but, after a dodgy start to the fourth quarter(we’ll blame it on tiredness) there was goals from Char, Rhia, Anastasia and 2 from Abbie to finish off the game with a score of 20-2.

A quick celebratory photo was taken before heading to stags.

Man of the match

Claudia for remembering how to swim and score after her time off

Dick of the day

Meg and Esme for forgetting to move away from their player after giving away frees and a total of 5 exclusions between them. 

Names- goals/majors

Antonia Neild- 0/0

Abbie Turner- 4/0

Lucia Ciardo- 0/0

Char Davis- 3/1

Claudia Ellis-Bone- 1/1

Rhia Perks- 1/0

Katie Magill- 5/0

Esme Poole- 1/3

Natalia Tsouka- 1/0

Charlotte Ratledge- 3/0

Anastasia kolesnikova- 1/0

Milly Bird- 0/0

Meg Harvey- 0/2