~JcZw

My second prayer of yesterday was also answered as F-block went into handball finals for IBG =) And now I get to practise my reporting skills...

F-block versus AB looked like it was going to be a tough one. Each of the 3 seniors in each team were pretty experienced. I was keeper for my side, and had played the longest amongst the 3 keepers during IHG, but Loo Bing, my senior and goalkeeping shifu was on the other. Eric and AikLeong, winger and second man for F block, faced Wei Qing, the wickedly fast basketballer from AB, as well as the super tall Vincent. Add to the mix JunFeng from AB, who scored the winning goal past me the year before while we had all been freshmen.

On the other hand, we had excellent freshies on both guys and girls sides, in JingZhi, Jeana and Jenny.

Aik Leong had already warned me that the showdown would most likely be between Wei Qing's terrifically strong right arm, blistering speed and ability to read and intercept long shots, and my speed, an encounter which always proves more painful for the goalkeeper in the end.

Curiously enough the match was pretty manageable. We scored pretty early when a AB freshie caught the ball inside his own goal area. Aik Leong wound up and fired the shot past Loo Bing making it 1-0 to F. Wei Qing replied with a ball of predictable speed but was fired over the defenders and was too close to me, which I blocked comfortably. Aik Leong and Eric had a string of chances, but each time, Loo Bing was in the way to save or to force them to shoot wide.

Wei Qing then clawed through the F block defence, sending me onto my toes, then let fly with a magnificient shot to the bottom corner. I dived but the ball was way too fast. Fortunately for us, it ricochetted off the post and out. Vincent added his bit by shooting a fast ball to my left this time, but again it was a manageable shot. I tried to initiate a fast break by sending a ball straight to Aik Leong loitering near Loo Bing's goal, but Wei Qing was everywhere and smothered the attempt before it could reach

Unfortunately, just as I thought we were home and dry, F-block committed the exact same mistake which had led to the game's only goal so far. Up stepped Wei Qing to the penalty line, point blank range for him. I knew he favoured my right and dived accordingly, but the ball was again too fast and went under me. Need to brush that up before IHG.

So ended the guy's component at 1-1.

Up stepped the girls. Within 2 minutes, AB had taken a shot at our goal for it to be saved well from Jenny, and I knew that unless they mustered something out of the average, the crucial goal wouldn't come from the opposition.

I was right. Meiyi added two spectacular long shots and Laura a lob which brought the score to F 4-1 AB. To be fair to AB's keeper, the long shots were not easily seen coming since she was probably blinded by her defenders' bodies. I call it the EH syndrome cos it happened to me during IHG. It was a brilliant performance by the girls' team, though my memories of it aren't as good as the guys since I wasn't so involved hahah....

After the game, I met up with Loo Bing and Wei Qing and had a good laugh with them over our sides' identical fortunes during the guy's half. Especially between the former and myself, who both only had to stop relatively easy shots, but had conceded one penalty each.

Still, we're through to the handball finals against GH, whose guys and girls are equally good. Till then, I must rest the greater trochanter of my right femur which has been dived on numerous times already.