LEAGUE CHAMPIONS THROUGH TO NATIONAL FINAL
A full programme of matches launched semi-finals day of the
ASA Championships 2007 held at Manchester Aquatics Centre.
The Women's matches were first at 10:30 and 11:45, Manchester
played Liverpool and Penguin played Sheffield.
Manchester got a couple of early goals in the first quarter,
but by the end of the second, Liverpool had brought the score
back to 2 all. This was in no small part due to the goalies.
who continued to excel throughout the third quarter too when
Manchester managed to score twice to restore the lead. Another
goal, a dressing room for three major exclusions and a penalty
finished the match Manchester 5 Liverpool 3.
Julie Allsop, Manchester's coach, commented ". . . About
time!" This is the first time the Manchester Ladies have
progressed to the finals of this competition in ten years.
Julie continued that she felt this year "the players
knew it would be close fought - this time they took confidence
from the National League (NWWPL)" and Julie concluded
that the team are now "technically good enough and mentally
stronger". She also played tribute to "Robyn, who
was making her debut as a senior goalkeeper. She didn't put
a foot wrong!". Julie's praise also extended to captain
"Kate - who led by example".
The previous victors of the NWWPL, Sheffield, were not going
to give Penguin an easy game, and they shot in some early
goals to lead 2-5 by the end of the first quarter. The second
quarter saw a couple of goals made from long individual swims,
from Larissa Davies, and a couple of penalties which left
the score 4-12 by the half way stage.
The score by the third quarter was 6-15 and in the fourth
there were a couple of time outs called to sustain the excitement
- but the final score was 6-18. The quality of play was very
high - Penguin Ladies tend to be quick in to tackle, and the
match was a lot closer than the score suggests.
Sundays' Ladies finals between Manchester and Shefield takes
place at 13:15 Sunday July 1st.
The Youth boys first semi-final was between Manchester and
Lancaster. This proved to be the nail biter of the day. At
the same time the first of the Junior age games between Manchester
Ladies and Liverpool was taking place in the Diving pit pool.
With supporters split between watching both games, there was
an atmosphere of anticipation throughout the lunchtime period.
Honours were even after the first quarter of both matches
- Youth boys 2-2 and Youth girls 1-1. Then in both matches
Manchester pulled ahead slightly and they ended the 2nd quarter
with the boys 6-5 and girls 6-2.
The girls then went on to continue their scoring form and
the final score was 16-2. Liverpool played some spirited defence
moves, but Gordon Dacre, the Liverpool coach, described the
match as "full of missed chances".
Over in the other pool the Manchester/Lancaster boys could
not stop the lead from switching in end to end, tightly matched
moves, with credit to the goalkeepers as much as the players.
By the end of the final quarter the score finished 12 all
- and so two periods of 3 minutes of extra time were played
- 13 all!
This then led to penalties. The final score went to 17-18
so Lancaster progressed to the finals. The start of the following
two matches was delayed whilst the whole gallery held their
breath!
The next two matches saw Bristol play Invicta in the Youth
male competition and the Youth Ladies competition between
Liverpool and Worthing. Bristol took advantage of an early
scoring fest and ended the first quarter 5-1, whereas Liverpool
Worthing ended 1-0. The Invicta and Worthing squads both came
back into the matches , but those early leads became final
scores of 16-12 to ensure that Bristol meet Lancaster in the
Youth male finals at 10:45 Sunday; and the Liverpool Youth
girls have gone to the finals from a score of 14-8 - their
final against Manchester is to be held at 09:30 - the inaugural
Sunday game.
The men's decider between Cheltenham and Lancaster, was up
against the diving pit game of Junior ladies Manchester vs
Sheffield. The Manchester juniors managed to prove successful
scorers and their match finished 19-3.
With the GB men's coach, Eelco Uri, watching, Cheltenham
managed to overcome the Lancaster men by 12-8. Lancaster were
resting their many GB squad players, ahead of the LEN tournament,
and they played a younger squad than would normally be seen.
In the Junior men's competition, Sutton and Cheam were playing
Leeds. Over in the diving pit, Manchester A played Manchester
B in the Youth competition. Unsurprisingly, Manchester A won
through but Tim Dunsbee praised Courtney Dean, Jade Smith
and Casey Smith in the B Squad.
Leeds were playing in distinctive chequered caps. Eventually,
however it was Sutton that converted a 4th quarter start of
3 all to an 8-4 final score.
Invicta Junior then played Manchester in the other semi,
whilst Liverpool junior ladies played Sheffield in the diving
pit pool. Both games had been keenly anticipated by the spectators,
and so the evening matches were still well received.
Sheffield were keen to play their way into the finals, and
so they looked to tackle for most balls, but in the end, the
single goal lead that had separated the teams up until the
final quarter, became a Liverpool victory of 17-8.
Invicta had to fight to score every one of their goals, and
Manchester made many chances, but slowly, each quarter, the
lead increased and from a 9-3 start Invicta finished the 4th
quarter with a final score of 11-5.
This means that the Junior boys final is an all south - Sutton
and Cheam vs Invicta - match at 15:00.
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