Reports
from Women's Team Manager - Joan Gorham
3 v 4 play-off:
Ireland's attempt for a place on
the podium failed as they lost to France in their final tie play-off
for 3rd and 4th place in Sweden today. Having come so close yesterday
to making it through to the final, the ladies team reproduced another
outstanding performance today.
With the same order of play as yesterday, first up was (# 2) Aisling
Blake for Ireland against Camille Serme for France. Blake shot off
to a 10/3 lead and having only dropped 1 game ball, took the first
game 11/4. Blake, maintaining a steady hold on her smooth manoeuvring
on court throughout her match and impressively throughout the Championship,
closed the second game out at 11/6. Blake's racket skills were seriously
tested in the third game when Serme, being 4/1 down, ejected herself
back into the game, and in what has turned out to be a trend in
Blake's performance this tournament, both players battled it neck
and neck with Serme reaching a 10/8 lead. Blake fended off 7 game
balls but when Ireland eventually reaching match ball, Blake closed
it straight out at 15/13. 3/0 to Ireland
Ireland spot on the podium was getting closer and next up were the
# 1's, Madeline Perry v Isabelle Stoehr. Perry uncharacteristically
struggled to get a hold on Stoehr's adept strike on the ball. The
points mounted against Ireland with Perry managing to gain 7 points
and Stoehr taking the first game. The second game continued in the
same fashion with Perry being on the back foot throughout the game,
Stoehr closing it 11/8. The tension was heavy with Ireland's chances
of 3rd place getting smaller. Perry need to dig deep for any chance
of a resurrection and dig she did. Perry finally fell into her comfort
zone and put Stoehr through her paces. With a steady climb to 8
all, Perry put that game behind her at 11/8. Back in her zone and
her momentum going, Perry glided through the next game with an 11/3
win leaving it all down to the fifth game. The score practically
rose point for point until France leading 8/7, finished it out at
11/8 leaving it a 1 all tie and everything resting on the 3rd and
final match.
In the final match of the championship, playing for Ireland was
# 3, Tanya Owen v Celia Allomargot. With no small amount of pressure
on, Owen imposed some strong resistance against the French number
3 but succumbed to a 3/0 win with France retaining their 3rd place
in 2009 European Championships. While Ireland's ladies team retained
their 4th place, they played exceptionally well and have shown that
a place on the championship podium is completely within their grasp.
SEMI-FINALS
Ireland shot off to an amazing start
today in the semi finals of the European Team Squash Championships
when they took on Netherland.
First to play was Ireland's # 2, Aisling Blake v Vanessa Atkinson.
With Netherland serving, Blake's first touch on the ball put Ireland
on an explosive track to a 3/0 win. Blake stormed ahead to reach
a 10/4 lead with Atkinson only managing to claw back two points
before Blake took it 11/6 in the first game. The intensity increased
in the second game as a power struggle began between both players,
climbing neck and neck to a 10 all score. Blake not giving way to
game ball took it 12/10 in the second. Atkinson turned the pressure
up in the third and took an early lead but Blake's clinical approach
fuelled her precision as the scores mounted equally to 10 all. But
with fantastic skill and focus, Blake took it 12/10 in the third.
3/0 to Ireland.
Next up was Ireland's # 1, Madeline Perry v Natalie Grinham. With
Blake having won the first game, Ireland's hope of reaching their
first every European final became tangible. Perry shot off to a
5/1 lead with Grinham hanging in there, but not enough as Perry's
relentless precision volleying put Grinham under immense pressure.
Perry leading throughout won it at 11/8 with a stroke ball to Ireland.
With Ireland's hopes now soaring, and the Netherlands run at the
finals diminishing, the tension was palpable. In the second game,
Perry took the lead from the off but was slowly beginning to be
ground down by the methodical and relentless retrieval of Perry's
deft performance and touch on the ball. Grinham finally taking the
2nd and 3rd game. 3/1 to Netherland.
With a 1 all score, everything hinged on the final match. Last up
for Ireland was # 4, Zoe Barr v Annelize Naude. Barr put in an impressive
performance against very tough opposition but never managed to put
the finishing touches to the games with Netherland running out a
clear win of 3/0 in the third match. 3/0 to Netherland.
While Ireland may not have succeeded in reaching the finals today,
they're scheduled to play France in what is expected to be a clash
of the Titans type battle to finish 3th place in this Europe Team
Squash Championship. Play starts at 12.00 noon (11 am Irish time).
Scores Natalie Grinham (Netherland) bt Madeline Perry (Irl) 11/8,
5/11, 7/11, 5/11
Aisling Blake (Irl) bt Vanessa Atkinson (Netherland) 11/6, 12/10,
11/12
Annelize Naude (Netherland) bt Zoe Barr (Irl) 11/4, 11/6, 11/6
POOL MATCHES:
Ireland's ladies squash team saw a different day in their third
tie against England at the European Squash Team Championships here
in Malmo, Sweden. While England produced tough opposition, the Irish
ladies showed impressive resilience under immense pressure.
First up was the number 3 string, Ireland's Tanya Owen against England's
Tania Bailey. Both players started of on an even footing reaching
4 all but it wasn't long before Bailey shot ahead with points mounting
to take the 1st game 11/4. Owen got stuck straight back in in the
second game and put her opponent's racket skills to the test with
some adept shot making but Bailey steadily finishing out the match
with clear margins in the 2nd and 3rd game. England winning 3/0
Next up was Ireland's no.1, Madeline Perry against Alison Waters.
Perry, having recently lost to Waters less than a week ago in the
final of the Irish Open, showed what a dynamic player she really
is. Perry took the lead from the off with Waters climbing back to
a 6 all score. Both players powered neck and neck to 10 all with
relentless reallies and Perry defending off 4 game balls. Waters
finally taking it, 13/11 in the first. The second game mirror the
first almost exactly with Perry taking the lead to start and both
players battling it neck and neck to 10 all ending again, with Perry
defending off 5 games balls and Waters taking it, but only just,
16/14 in the second. The third game told a different story with
Perry doing what seemed impossible, uping the tempo and clearing
Waters out in a matter of minutes with an impressive 10/5 lead.
Water's regained her momentum but only briefly, Perry closed the
third game at 11/7. In the fourth, Waters dominated straight off
and with the high tempo still in play, Perry succumbed 11/4. England
winning 3-1.
Last up was Ireland's no. 2, Aisling Blake against Laura Lenthorn-Massaro.
With England having won their first two games against Ireland and
coming first in their pool, it was a matter of formality for the
number 3 strings to play. This however, didn't take from the performance
both players gave. Massaro took up a steady lead in the first but
Blake, clearly not prepared to sit back, fought back hard with steady
methodical play to a 10 all score with Massaro closing it at 12/10.
Blake took a 5/3 lead in the second game but didn't manage to break
Massaro's imposing strike on the ball, England finally taking the
next two game and wining 3/0.
With today's play now over, Ireland rests and prepares for their
semi-final match against the Netherlands tomorrow at 3.30 (2.30
Irish time).
Scores:- Alison Waters (Eng) bt Madeline Perry (Irl) 13/11, 16/14,
7/11, 11/4
Laura Lenthorn-Massaro (Eng) bt Aisling Blake (Irl) 12/10, 11/6,
11/7
Tania Bailey (Eng) bt Tanya Owen (Irl) 11/4, 11/5, 11/1
Ireland
v Ireland's ladies squash team, ranked 4th in Europe, have succeeded
in retaining their 4th place position.
The
team, Madeline Perry (# 1), Aisling Blake (# 2), Tanya Owen (#3)
and Zoe Barr (#4), seeded 4th , won 3/1 against Germany yesterday
(seeded 5th) and today gave a smooth performance of skill against
Belgium, guaranteeing themselves at least a 4th place ranking in
Europe. Ireland have yet to play England in their pool matches which
takes place tomorrow morning at 11.30 (10.30 Irish time).
First up today for Ireland was the second string, Aisling Blake
against Annabel Romedenne (#2) for Belgium. Blake began strong and
steady putting in a solid performance throughtout the first game
to taking it 11/5. However, Romedenne was not easily put down and
came back hard, putting Blake under pressure with a steady climb,
neck and neck to 6 all. Blake finally winning the second game 11/8,
took control again in the third to win 11/4. Ireland winning 3/0.
Second to play was Madeline Perry v Kim Hannes (#1). Perry kept
Hannes on the back foot throught the match closing the match with
a very comfortable 3/0 win.
Third up was Zoe Barr (#4) v Yara Delagrange (#3). Barr, this being
onlyher second European Championship, dominated the game from the
start and took the first game 11/5. Barr gave way to a few unforced
errors allowing Delagrange's points to mount and take the lead in
the second game. However, Barr regained her rythem to take it the
second game 11/7, then comfo-rtably winning the 3rd game 11/3. Another
3/0 win to Ireland
Scores Madeline Perry bt Kim Hannes 3/0 (11/3, 11/5, 11/2)
Aisling Blake bt Annabel Romedenne 3/0 (11/5, 11/8, 11/4)
Zoe Barr bt Yara Delagrange 3/0 (11/5, 11/7, 11/3) |
