Following a highly successful part 1 of BUCS playoffs for the 2021/22 season with 3 out 3 wins so far, our Women’s Lacrosse and Men’s Tennis teams, returned from their easter break on the hunt for promotion via the playoffs to try and make it a clean sweep for NTU. Unlike our previous teams of Netball and basketball, these two teams faced a two-legged playoff against teams that finished bottom of their respective Premier divisions. Both had home legs first, followed by the tough task of going away to hopefully finish the job.
Our Women’s Lacrosse team were looking to make it back-to-back promotions to Premier North 1, after an unbeaten season in both the league and Trophy cup competitions, they were facing University of Newcastle, with the first leg on the Clifton 3G pitches. The sun was shining and a decent home group turned up out of term time to support the girls towards making a strong start. The team didn’t disappoint and were out the blocks quickly putting their opposition under intense pressure scoring early and not looking back. By the end of the afternoon, the girls had racked up a very healthy lead to take up to Newcastle with a 28-7 win.
The Men’s tennis teams faced Leeds Beckett, at the home of NTU tennis, it proved to be the tightest playoff so far, with some tense matches, lasting long into the day with the tie consisting of two doubles and four singles matches. After the doubles NTU were 2-0 to the good, 4 singles to go. Our number 1 seed Matt Howse proved too strong for the Beckett player and another singles win meant the team took a hard fought 4-2 lead into the second leg.
The second legs took place the following week, Women’s Lacrosse were highly confident of victory after their dominant display in the first leg, and that confidence was well founded, with the girls putting in another 20-point victory, winning 20-9 and aggerate score of 48-16 and promotion again for the unbeaten Women’s lacrosse team. A fantastic achievement.
The Men’s tennis team arrived at Leeds Becket facing a tougher task, however they started like they did in the first leg, winning both doubles to give them an overall score of 6-2, meaning they need just one more win to secure victory. Beckett weren’t done however and managed to secure 3 out of the 4 singles, but again Matt Howse won his one seed match to give the team victory 7-5 overall and promotion to the premier division for the first time I the University tennis club history.
That meant NTU won all 5 playoffs fixtures they were involved in capping on our most successful season ever and a record number of teams now in National and Premier divisions.
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