RSM netball closer than ever
After a 7am start, a long journey down to Cornwall, and a tense football game, RSM Netball were ready to take on their CSM counterparts. An indoor court was more than welcome against the cold Cornish weather but it meant contending with some very loud supporters. RSM won the coin toss and Laura kicked off the match with the first centre pass. However, the CSM support proved to be just as intimidating as their shooters and we finished the first quarter with a disheartening 10-0 score line.
“This new-found energy produced a wild swing in the scores that proceeded to throw off CSM”
The late arrival of Charlotte, our goal keeper, straight from her final exams, along with some extra supporters (and our trusty RSM Netball flag) did wonders to boost our moral. We got back on court for the start of the second quarter with our heads held high. This new-found energy produced a wild swing in the scores that proceeded to throw off the CSM support and the CSM team themselves. The RSM supporters more than made up for their lack of numbers by providing more than enough cheer to encourage our shooters, Avni and Alice, to keep that streak going. Before CSM knew it, we stepped up our game and fought back their advances with incredible finesse. This time the CSM support had nothing on our own - and we definitely gave them something to cheer about. The score in the second quarter was a thrilling 7-7, bringing the score at half time to 17-7.
In the third and fourth quarters, we recognised that we had lost the element of surprise. Although the RSM team fought valiantly, CSM remained the victors of the Bottle Match and the Netball win eluded us for one more year. However, with a score of 31-14, it is exciting to mention that this is the closest RSM Netball has come to winning the Bottle Match so far. Year on year we continue to narrow down that goal difference. The improvement just goes to show how the team is developing and, who knows? Maybe next year is the year that RSM Netball will be crowned champions of the Netball Bottle Match!
