Women’s 3rd Team – Captains Season Review
The Women’s 3rd Team had a whirlwind of a season this year. After losing key members of our squad we were left to figure out how the team could best work together to fill these gaps. We definitely struggled to find our footing as a team at the start of the semester and we began trying players in new positions and new formations. However, the team was also hit with a wave of team injuries that had many key players out for months. With a jam-packed line-up of matches in the first semester our opportunities to increase our league standing dwindled.
After Christmas, however, there was a change in the tides. All of our injured key players were cleared to play, and a fire had been lit in many of the players’ hearts. The team had kept their fitness up over the break and in order to kick start the second semester, we gathered outside of our practice sessions for extra conditioning. We were eager to tackle our first opponent of the year. Sadly, we were met with a forfeit from the other team, so we were unable to put our practice into play. Our next game became the most daunting of all this season. We were poised to play the Napier 1st Team, top of the league above us, in the Scottish Conference Cup. Our coach, Olivia Blair, came to us with a new formation for the match which we then tested out during our practice. The previous week, the Napier 1st Team had beaten the St Andrews 2nd team so we knew that they were a force to be reckoned with.
Match day came around and the team was determined to show the Napier 1st team just who the St Andrews 3rd Team really was. The Napier 1st had underestimated us and we dominated ball possession for the first half of the match bringing the score to 2-1 at the half. Fuelled by our new formation’s success and our increased stamina we held them to 2-2 by the final whistle. It came down to PKs and with the Men’s 2s, Stuart and many other coaches and friends cheering us on we came out victorious. Our win, labelled the “cupset”, was everything we could have ever hoped for from the team. We saw all our hard work and determination throughout the season come together beautifully to win the match. Unfortunately, our cup run was cut short in the semi-finals with a narrow loss to the Dundee 1s.
This year the Women’s 3s showed extraordinary determination both on and off the pitch. While we will be sad to say goodbye to our four final year students, we are excited to see what the 2020/21 season holds.
Lauren Archer
Women’s 3rd Team Captain