St Mary's Calne
With three strong teams, the U18s arrived at the South West Regional Tournament full of enthusiasm and high hopes. In the following match reports, Mr Abini outlines how the tournament unfolded for the 18A, B, and C teams. Congratulations to everyone for participating and embodying the incredible 'Calne Girls Can' spirit!
U18A
The U18A headed into the South West Regional Tournament on the back of a good midweek win against Bath University. The team started their day with a high scoring game against Heathfield and a loss against Godolphin, but after a quick re-set, they were able to get a win against CLC before a physical and hard-fought draw against Downe House. The team missed out on the championship group by a goal difference of one so set an objective of winning Division 1. Starting the division off with a convincing 7 – 0 win against Sherborne set them up for more games against Pheonix and CLC. Finishing top of the group, SMC faced Pheonix in the Division 1 Final and set to work, going three goals up. The opposition worked their way back into the game and levelled before the final whistle meaning the game would go into a overtime golden goal period. The midfield trio of Honor, Freya and Saphy worked to get possession and while the oppositions defenders were drawn to the ball, Bailey was able to sneak in and collect a feed which she slotted past the defender to give SMC the win and take the Division 1 title. A tense and exciting finish to a great day of lacrosse! Well done to all.
U18B
The U18B team had another impressive tournament, starting strong in the morning by winning two out of three games and scoring a total of 10 goals while conceding only three. The defence worked exceptionally well as a unit, preventing the opposition from creating goal scoring opportunities and created numerous turnovers. The midfield and attacking players capitalised on outstanding draw control by Bea, Eve, Nancy, and Izzy, allowing the team to move the ball efficiently around the defence to score. Finishing second in their group, they advanced to the next stage, facing Downe House, Marlborough College, and Godolphin, where they secured another two out of three wins, narrowly losing to Downe House in a tight 1-2 match. The day culminated in a fierce Semi-Final against St Swithun's. After two intense eight-minute halves that ended in a 1-1 draw, the girls battled through a nail-biting four-minute golden goal period. Despite Katya's remarkable goalkeeping, saving two free positions under pressure, the game ended without a winner, and St Swithun's advanced to the final on goal difference. It was an incredible effort, and the girls should be very proud of their performance.
U18C
The team kicked off the day with great spirit and determination. Despite the shorter match durations compared to regular fixtures, the U18Cs quickly found their rhythm, and the goals started flowing. Addy made some outstanding saves in goal, while the defence worked cohesively to keep the opposition at bay. By the end of the morning games, we had secured a spot in Division 1 after finishing third in our group.
With a goal to reach the finals, the team gave it their all across the next three matches. Two strong wins kept hopes high, but it was the decisive final game against Marlborough that determined our path. In a thrilling 2-1 victory, we earned a place in the Semi-Finals. In the Final, the SMC team worked tirelessly, fighting until the very last whistle. It was a close, fiercely competitive match, but unfortunately, we narrowly lost by a single goal. Overall, it was a fantastic day with plenty of highlights for the U18C team.
David Abini - Head of Lacrosse