SB Alumni at Varsity

In a hole in the ground lived a Gonzo.

However, he very quickly realised that that was a terrible idea, because Alumni Varsity was a thing that was happening and holes in the ground are decidedly uncomfortable. As our ragtag rabble of rambunctious rapscallions met on a beautifully warm March morning, we knew that what was about to happen was going to be awesome.

The RRRRs were: Sam Turner, Kris Cao, Lord Strachan, Helen Brooks, Sam Robin, Eleanor Nicholson, Carnott, Andy Wiggett, Jassy, Miles, Graham Bailey, Shannon, Sabri, Jacob Hilton

We very quickly decided that the most important thing to practice in our warmup, was flair, which I think everyone took to with aplomb, especially Graham Bailey, who was absolutely game ready after the 4th layout in the warmup drills.

Beyond the standard desire to thrash Oxford at everything, we had an added incentive to win after we discovered the alumni varsity prize, an awesome radio controlled car. The phrase "would you like a go on the trophy" gave us a steely determination to succeed. Well, maybe a steely's a bit strong.........

Supported by all the youthful faces, except those from Oxford, we began. The atmoshpere was electric. As Tejas asked me to write this match report quite late, my memory of what actually happened is slightly hazy, but let's see what I can recall. I think it can be agreed that both teams played sexy, sexy ultimate, valuing swift movement of the disc over big plays, although Graham Bailey and Sam Vile did seem to be having a layout-off, which was tied until Eleanor, deciding that jumping to catch the disc was too easy, felt that macking it over her own head before launching herself into a spectacular layout was better, broke the layout tie in Cambridge's favour. We broke and counter broke, a couple of big shots from Sam Turner and Gonzo, big grabs from Eleanor and Shannon backed up by the calm heads of Lord Strachan and Jassy Drakulic and some solid cutting from pretty much everyone else putting Cambridge ahead. But Oxford fought back, the general amazingness of Sam Vile and Mags making them difficult to shut down on D, with some big tall guys on their team making them hard to beat. As Oxford pulled away, the hooter went, 10-9 to Oxford, game to 11. It was tight, you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Albeit a plastic butter-knife, you know, one of those you use on picnics, but still.

Cambridge on offence working it up the pitch, when an erroneous huck went up from somebody, it did not complete. That person, who shall remain nameless, then made it up with a sweet D on a deep shot. Some quick handler movement and a well placed IO break took the game to sudden death!!!!!!

Then Oxford won, they were on offence and they were clinical with it. Afterwards, we all agreed that we all love Alumni Varsity, because it's just so much fun and the level of ultimate is generally really good and really well spirited.

We all had a go on the trophy afterwards, it was sweet. See you all next year in Cambridge.

Frove

Gonzo