Kian Gadsby
After a long summer and a gruelling pre-season, University of Nottingham Sport returned with a bang, as the first large slate of Wednesday fixtures took place.
Although the Rugby Union sides opened the season with their headliner clash against Loughborough in Freshers Week, the Green and Gold’s other teams were made to wait patiently to begin their quest for glory. However, they produced superb displays when they returned to action, with many earning crucial victories that set the tone for the season ahead.
Here are some of the highlights from a dramatic and enthralling start to the season.
Team of the Week – Women’s Football Begin Quest for Revenge
Last season, the Women’s Football 1st team saw their year end with heartbreak. Firstly, in their campaign in the Premier North Division they were top of the table and in charge of their destiny with two games to go, only for a pair of dramatic defeats to cause their hopes to slip away. They ended the season in a disappointing 4th place, so close, yet so far from glory.
If that setback wasn’t painful enough, the despair continued for the Green and Gold. They recovered to make the National Championship final on BUCS Big Wednesday, only to suffer a devastating 2-1 loss to St Andrews in a game which they controlled but were unable to find a breakthrough.
This year, their ambition is to go one better and secure silverware. They got off to the perfect start, as they returned home from the long trip north to Edinburgh with three points.
A first-half strike from Amelia Penfold put Nottingham in command, and although they were placed under pressure by a resilient Edinburgh side, a late goal from Lauren Wilshaw secured a 2-0 win to get their season up and running.
After the game, 2024/25 Players’ Player of the Season Lucy Robinson told Impact that she felt such a victory was pivotal for building momentum ahead of the rest of the season.
“Starting with a win set the tone for a great season and was crucial for us to gain confidence and establish good habits early on!”
Mixed Results for Fencing
Having enjoyed illustrious success last season, including winning both National Championships and the Men’s National Trophy on BUCS Big Wednesday, the Green and Gold’s Fencing teams were hoping to continue their form into the new year as they took on Edinburgh at the start of the 2025-26 season.
The Women’s 1st team secured victory, as a pulsating encounter saw them snatch a dramatic 117-113 win. However, in the men’s clash, after going the entire season undefeated last year, they were stunned, eventually succumbing to a 132-119 defeat.
They will be hoping to rectify that result in their next match, as they host Birmingham in what promises to be an intriguing affair.
Positives for Netball on Top Flight Return
After enduring a year outside of the top division, the Netball team marked their return to the Premier North division as they crossed the Midlands to take on the University of Birmingham.
Having enjoyed a perfect campaign last season, winning all 10 of their league games to secure an immediate promotion and then lifting the National Trophy, there was a sense of optimism surrounding the netball team as they bid to re-establish themselves in the top division.
Based on their performance in the opening clash, this optimism is justified. Although they suffered a 50-42 defeat, the game remained close for the entirety of the encounter, and holding a side who were semi-finalists in the National Championships last season to a narrow defeat will build confidence that they can compete over the course of the new campaign.
Kian Gadsby
Featured image courtesy of Sam Bunce. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @uonwfc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @uonnetballclub via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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