2014 – 2015
Officers: Men’s Captain Hugh Handy; Women’s Captain Stephanie Anthony
Women’s Hockey
Once again Queen’s combined with St Hilda’s for league matches and Cuppers. This pairing resulted in a highly successful season, with the team being undefeated and thus coming top of the first division in the league and winning Cuppers.
The league matches were played in Michaelmas Term, with the highlights being the games against St Catherine’s and the combined team of St Edmund Hall/Keble. There were often concerns during the season that the small Queen’s/St Hilda’s squad would not be able to muster enough players. This was the case in the match against St Catherine’s but, despite having no goalkeeper, the team produced a 5-0 victory. The match against rivals St Edmund Hall/Keble was the most tense league game, resulting in a 3-1 victory thanks in large part to the superb performances of Rebecca Bibb, Anna Booth and Grace Colverd. It is also worth noting that St Edmund Hall/Keble was relegated from the first division.
In the Cuppers competition, the team played very well, beating St Catherine’s 3-1 to secure its place in the final. With St Catherine’s boasting four university players and Queen’s/St Hilda’s missing many key players, including Rebecca Bibb, Anna Booth and Anna McHugh, it was a tough semi-final. At half-time the game was goalless, but in the second half the team produced some inspired team play, resulting in three goals. In the last moments St Catherine’s scored a consolation goal from a short corner. In the final, once again against St Edmund Hall/Keble, the team went into the match confidently, with a starting line up and team substitutes organised in advance. Unfortunately, the opponents had recruited two Oxford Hawks (national league) players, whose expertise brought about a frantic first half for Queen’s/St Hilda’s, which conceded an early goal. The second half continued in the same fashion, with many shots on goal from both teams, one of which finally produced the equaliser. In contrast to the previous year, the result was to be settled by penalty flicks. A special mention must go to the goalkeeper from St Hilda’s who made some excellent saves, and Queen’s/St Hilda’s emerged victorious scoring four flicks to their opponents’ two. The team was very grateful for the support that it received from members of the College which definitely helped the team during the tense second half. Throughout the season the Club was well served by Stephanie Anthony, Rebecca Bibb, Anna Booth, Grace Colverd, Philippa McCue, Anna McHugh, Shona Robertson and Véronique Thouroude.