On 10th February 2012, we took the court against Medicine.
We had heard about our archrivals, a team that had one too many varsity players and an overall average height that would easily make us look small in comparison. There were similar sentiments going through the team: a dreaded sense of pain that would come from a devastating defeat and yet a glimmer of hope and anticipation of a seemingly improbable victory. No one had any predictions to make and the best we could muster was to do our best.
Fast-forward four quarters later, we did not win the match. But the scores do little to capture the sensational plays that came from our side. There was Charlene Nah (Year 3), the excellent defender that rose up to the challenge to play a shooting role instead, making some effective and highly unpredictable passes and displayed latent shooting talent with a couple of shots she scored. Fellow shooter Jaime Lye (Year 1) was evidently the playmaker for the team on the attacking half of the court, going the mile to ensure rebounds were not left uncontested and proving to be every bit the top-class shooter that she is. Natasha Goh (Year 2), although a basketball player at heart, drew loud cheers from our supporters with every tough shot she made and frustrated our rivals with her sharp accuracy.
Then there was Michelle (Year 4) and Hai Yiu (Year 3), the girls that had to run the entire length of the court, outlasting the quarters with their energy and were central to our game. Rachael (Year 3), with her crazy elevation, did some brilliant flying intercepts, helping to bring the ball down to our shooters several times in the second quarter. Catherine Lim (Year 2) helped to make turnovers possible too, notably with a pick-up in the fourth quarter. Another mid-fielder, Si En (Year 4) was possibly the most graceful netball player on the court that day, and her dancing background proved handy when it came to maintaining her balance despite catching passes in the tightest of spaces.
Last but not least, there was our dear defending trio, Natalie Ng (Year 1), Annette Liu (Year 1) and Chui Ling (Year 1), who dug deep and managed to capitalize on whatever mistakes the two varsity-league Medicine shooters made.
So we might not have won and we did not finish with scores neck and neck but as far I am concerned, this is one team I know I am proud of.
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Article contributed by: Monique Koh (Law 2)
Photography by: Joyce Ng (Law 2)