Sport

Varsity 2017 Preview: Lacrosse

Women’s Lacrosse

For The University of Nottingham’s women’s Lacrosse team, this year will be their first experience of Varsity and they will no doubt want to get off to a winning start.

Like the men, they have performed well in BUCS, placing third in the Premier North, winning five and losing five of their ten matches. Back in November, they had an impressive 15-6 victory over second-placed University of Edinburgh and in both fixtures against runaway champions Durham University they put up a good fight.

Nottingham Trent are in the League below and so UoN go into the game as clear favourites. President Georgie Knight accepts this favourites’ tag, saying “I think all the girls are pretty confident that we’ll come out with the win” and “we’re not expecting a massively hard game”.

In terms of the ones to watch for UoN, Georgie explained that the team possess four American scholars who will be expected to play a big role in Varsity. But she was quick to point out that “All the girls in the team will individually play their own role”.

With this year being their first taste of Varsity, there is bound to be a lot of excitement around the squad. According to Georgie, “Everyone is really looking forward to it and the atmosphere that comes with Varsity that we’re never properly experienced before”.

Men’s Lacrosse

Since the inception of Lacrosse as a Varsity event in 2012, The University of Nottingham’s team has dominated, winning four out of five matches including a 16-8 victory last year. But this year promises to be closer than even before, with both teams evenly matched.

It has been a solid BUCS season for The University of Nottingham, who finished third in the Premier North with four wins, two draws and four defeats. Three of those defeats have come against Durham University, which is nothing to be ashamed of since they sit top of the table, having won all ten of their matches.

“We know it’s going to be close and its going to be a really, really high standard of Lacrosse”

As for Nottingham Trent, they finished one place above UoN in second place, having also had a strong season. However, in the matches between the two sides, there has been very little between them. Trent narrowly won 13-11 back in October, while November’s meeting ended in a nail-biting 9-9 draw.

When asked about the kind of game he was expecting on 28th March, Cam Tobin responded by saying: “We know it’s going to be close and it’s going to be a really, really high standard of Lacrosse, so we’re not going in expecting to win”.

Despite his team’s dominance over Trent in the past, Cam also notes that this year Trent are a very different proposition because it is the first year that Trent have invested the money in getting scholars in to play for them.

But what he also stresses is the depth of talent UoN possess, boasting two American scholars, two England players. His message to spectators was: “Pretty much watch out for anyone on the pitch”.

Tuesday 28th March Clifton Campus 3G: Women’s Lacrosse 16:00, Men’s Lacrosse 18:30

Tyler Gerrard

Images courtesy of University of Nottingham Sport on Twitter

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