By Stephen Holcroft
Sheffield Hallam epitomised their class in the BUCS Cup on Wednesday afternoon, ousting the valiant netball firsts with a 45-33 victory in the BUCS Cup, bringing York’s encouraging streak in the Cup to an abrupt end.
It was a bright start for York though, who were leading 8-5 in the opening quarter after Georgia Maffia converted and then stretched their lead further to end the first fifteen minutes 11-7. Visitors Sheffield were lacklustre and were debatably complacent about the challenge York would present.
The visiting team’s response was emphatic though, and despite York’s attackers prevailing in their shoot rate, Hallam were lurking dangerously and managed to scrape the score back to 13-13 midway through the second quarter. Perhaps inevitably, Sheffield did gain the lead and a slight advantage, as they led 21-18 at halfway.
Sheffield were beginning to assert their authority, and York were finding it difficult to contain the visitors. Captain Cesca Dessain’s decision to substitute herself in the first quarter was unfortunately beginning to backfire. Kay Masterson entered the fray, in place of Maffia, and was in clinical form. However Hallam were proving themselves a level above their northern counterparts, and at the penultimate stage had an eight point lead at 34-26.
York’s passionate support hoped to rally their team going into the final quarter, but Hallam gradually continued to move the ball about in content style, and a lead was developing. The match ended 45-33 to the visitors, and GK Jenni Williams looked understandably glad to see the end of this one.