JUNIOR BRITISH LEAGUE AT LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY 13/14 OCTOBER 2007

A disappointing end to the weekend. How can you be 9-2 up in the fifth or have three match points in the fourth – and lose. Ask Hannah Pitt and Lawrence Wilcox the effect of Time Outs called by the opponents.

This year the Chelmsford Team were relegated to Division 3 and seeded fifth of the six teams in the Division on the ETTA Ranking system and therefore fighting against relegation from the JBL. This indicating that the girls standard was much higher than in previous years.

With Holly Stubbings (ECC) taking up the offer from Waterside (Southampton) to compete in Division 1 in her last year as a junior Chelmsford obtained the services of Abigail Moore (Herts), ranked higher than either Hannah Pitt or Stevie Pell (both Chelmsford Club) when the team she played for last year did not have the courtesy to tell her that they were not entering the competition this season.

Chelmsford’s first two opponents were the teams expected to be runners up and winners of the Division. For the first game of the day Hannah Pitt had to face ST. Andrews B’s Chelsea Furnival, the Division’s highest ranked girl. After a 0-11 start things looked grim for Hannah but miracles do sometimes occur. After advice from Abigail’s dad appeared to have the desired effect Hannah took the next two games 9 and 8 so could it happen against a Chelsea who had grown several inches last season. Chelsea took the fourth to 7 so was it all over – no. Hannah took the deciding set to 7 for a great start for the Chelmsford team, alas not to continue. Abigail’s first game was a three game defeat to Sarah Dolan. Stevie Pell’s first match at this level had a disappointing end. Narrowly losing the first game to Alison Beckingham to 9 she won the next two 10 and 6, lost her way in the fourth for the match to go to a deciding set. With chances for either girl to win Stevie finally lost 14-12 to two consecutive unplayable nets. Abigail lost to Chelsea 11-3 in the fifth, Hannah losing a close four gamer to Alison and with Stevie losing three straight the match was lost 5-1.

Next came Uxbridge, a team we later found out where none of the girls in the team were based at the towns Club. This match followed a similar pattern to the first. Abigail had a titanic opener against Hannah Winfield losing the first to 9, going 2-1 up and finally winning the decider 17-15. Later on Stevie lost to the same girl 11-8 in the decider. The other games were all lost in four for another 5-1 defeat.

The last match of the Saturday was against Byng Hall, the lowest ranked team although having the third highest ranked girl, Jasmine Ould. In the opening game against Jasmine Hannah took a two game lead and hopes were high for another shock. Jasmine fought back taking the next two and the decider 14-12 to deny Hannah. Later on Abigail suffered the same fate against Jasmine losing 12-10 in the decider after being 7-3 up. Equally had she converted a 10-6 lead in the third their would have been no need for a decider when the fourth was won. Abigail had earlier beaten Amy Parkes 3, 15 and 9 and with Stevie and Hannah both winning against Lauren Kitchen could Stevie achieve the match win in the last match. After winning the first game she lost the next three for a drawn match.

Sunday morning started with the team in bottom place and a match against Ellenborough and the Divisions second highest ranked player, nine year old Tin Tin Ho.

Tin Tin had little trouble in winning her games against Hannah and Abigail. With Abigail winning against Natasha Walsh and Stevie and Hannah both beating Charlotte Binley in five could Stevie achieve that elusive team win. Taking the first game 11-9 against Natasha she lost the next three games, conceding a 7-3 lead in the fourth, so a second drawn match.

The last match of the weekend was against Peniel whose three young girls were all ranked higher than Abigail. After Abigail’s defeat to Evie Collier Hannah had a titanic battle against opposition No. 1 Bethany March, finally winning -6, 6, 11, -9, 10. Stevie lost in four to Hannah Hoskins and three straight to Evie and with Abigail losing 6-11 in the fifth to Bethany the match was lost. The last match was one that Hannah will remember for a long time. Two games up, then 2 all against their Hannah our Hannah was 9-2 up in the fifth when their coach called a Time Out. From the restart HP failed to win another point to lose the game and thus a 5-1 defeat.

Much hard work and practice now needs to be put in before the return and final round at Wolverhampton on 9/10 February 2008 if the team are to avoid relegation.

A full report on the Colchester team’s matches containing Greg Green and Lawrence Wilcox (both Hatfield Peverel) and Phillip Lawson (NETTS) , three wins and two defeats in Division 4B for equal points with runners up West London Academy – TTK Greenhouse B and Holly Stubbings (ECC) matches for Waterside will appear on the Colchester League website (use the link on this website).

Full Chelmsford Girls Results were:

Chelmsford v St. Andrews B

Chelsea Furnival lost to Hannah Pitt  0, -9, -8, 8, -7.

Sarah Dolan bt Abigail Moore 3, 8, 7.

Alison Beckingham bt Stevie Pell 9, -10, -6, 3, 12.

Chelsea Furnival bt Abigail Moore 2, -9, -8, 9, 3.

Alison Beckingham bt Hannah Pitt 7, 9, -12, 9.

Sarah Dolan bt Stevie Pell 6, 9, 7.

Match Result 5-1

 

Chelmsford v Uxbridge

Abigail Moore bt Hannah Winfield -9, 7, 2, -6, 15.

Hannah Pitt lost to Laura Robinson -9, -5, 10.

Stevie Pell lost to Sophie Neil -4, 9, -10, -2.

Abigail Moore lost to Laura Robinson -7, -5, 9, -9.

Stevie Pell lost to Hannah Winfield -4, 7, -4, 8, -8.

Hannah Pitt lost to Sophie Neil -5, 8, -6, -9.

Match Score 1-5

 

Byng Hall v Chelmsford

Jasmin Ould bt Hannah Pitt -8, -8, 4, 6, 12.

Amy Parkes lost to Abigail Moore -3, -15, -9.

Lauren Kitchen lost to Stevie Pell -9, -8, -3.

Jasmin Ould Bt Abigail Moore 8, -10, 10, -6, 10.

Lauren Kitchen lost to Hannah Pitt -1, -7, -6.

Amy Parkes bt Stevie Pell -5, 8, 6, 5.

Match Score 3-3

 

Ellenborough v Chelmsford

Tin Tin Ho bt Hannah Pitt 8,7,6.

Natasha Walsh lost to Abigail Moore 4, -9,-8,-9.

Charlotte Binley lost to Stevie Pell 7, -4, -6, 6, -12.

Tin Tin Ho bt Abigail Moore 7, 9, 5.

Charlotte Binley lost to Hannah Pitt -8, 8, 6, -8, -7.

Natasha Walsh bt Stevie Pell -9, 5, 7, 8.

Match Score 3-3

 

Chelmsford v Peniel

Abigail Moore lost to Evie Collier -5, -9, -7.

Hannah Pitt bt Bethany March -6, 6, 11, -9, 10.

Stevie Pell lost to Hannah Hoskins 6, -5, -5, -4.

Abigail Moore lost to Bethany March 12, -7, 9, -5, -6.

Stevie Pell lost to Evie Collier -8, -4, -9.

Hannah Pitt lost to Hannah Hoskins 10, 6, -3, -6, 9.

Match Score 1-5

 

            Table after First Round