Sports Reports - Hockey
Merton-Mansfield hockey has had an incredibly successful season in all respects. Highlights included winning Mixed Cuppers 2023 to become college hockey champions for the first time in memory, a fun alumni match welcoming back Ms hockey alumni to battle it out on the astroturf followed by a post-match pub trip, and a generous donation in the form of a new Ms hockey match playing kit. This season has shown that Merton-Mansfield hockey is not only an incredibly successful sports team, but also a close group of friends who love playing together and show sportsmanship both on and off the pitch.
This season consisted of two competitions: the College league competition played throughout Michaelmas and Hilary, and Mixed Cuppers played in Trinity term. We started the season with a friendly and welcoming training session one cold evening in Michaelmas, but despite the dark evening and slightly chilly temperature, the turnout for this session was amazing. Over 20 people turned up to play some hockey, learn some new skills, and most importantly bond as a team. Right from the start we knew this would be a promising season, with a good balance of more advanced players who have a history of hockey, whether from school or for playing for the University, and those who had not played for a few years, if at all.
The first half of the College league during Michaelmas term saw the Ms off to a solid and encouraging start, with the first match being played against Teddy Hall, resulting in a victory of 3-1 to the Ms. Unfortunately, the Ms did face some very tough competition during this term, including a difficult match against Hertford – our fiercest competition – which resulted in a 1-0 loss. In spite of the unfortunate scorelines, it cannot be said that the Ms did not give their all to every single match.
The second half of the College league played in Hilary saw the rise of the Ms, with win after win, leading us to our last match of the term, which was against Teddy Hall once again. At this point we were top of the league table and would need a win or to draw to secure the league title. However, this sadly was not the case, and after a well-fought match the final score was 1-0 to Teddy Hall. This meant we came second overall in the league. This was a huge achievement for the Ms, and the love and enthusiasm everyone felt for the team and one another despite the final result was heart-warming.
This brought us to Trinity term. Due to our excellent result in the league, we bypassed the first round of the competition and were guaranteed entry into the second round. This match had us play Wadham/Queen’s/Trinity and saw the Ms victorious with a 1-0 win. This led us to the next round, the semi-finals, against Hertford. The first half saw a tough battle, but we ended the match 3-1, taking us through to the final. In the final itself, it was 0-0 at half time. But within seconds of the second half, the Ms were leading 1-0. And then 2-0. And then 3-0. But Anne’s/Brasenose hadn’t given up and fought their way back and put a goal past the keeper to make the score 3-1. Tensions were high, and Anne’s/Brasenose were determined to score another, but the Ms were not going to let that happen and instead took the ball themselves and scored another, making the score 4-1. And then the whistle blew. And just like that the Ms became College Cuppers Champions. Celebrations were held, with a post-match pub trip, and the Merton Sports Dinner was a second celebratory dinner for the event.
This team has held a special place in my heart this last year, not just for their talent and their abilities as hockey players, but because of the love and enthusiasm every single one of them has brought to every single match and social. This year we will unfortunately be saying goodbye to many of the team, and to those players I want to say thank you for your contribution. We will see you back soon for the alumni match. And to anyone who is interested in joining, we would love to welcome you and hope to see you next season.
Emily Jones (2020)
M&M Hockey Captain 2022-23
Despite the obvious opposition of Covid, it’s been a hugely successful season for the M&Ms hockey team. With little hockey in either Michaelmas or Hilary, we arrived back in Trinity raring to go for the Cuppers/League replacement summer tournament.
A high-scoring match lacking a keeper for either team ended in a 7-4 triumph against LMH, getting us off to a great start. Before the next match we had the game-changing addition of an experienced keeper to our ranks in Vikaran, who would come to save us literally and figuratively many times in the season. One of the toughest matches of the season followed, in a feisty affair against a Lincoln side suffering from a collective case of small-man syndrome. With some especially brilliant battling in midfield from Ben, jabbing of the highest quality from Will, and one hell of a flair drag flick from Eloise, we claimed a deserved 4-2 triumph. A couple more straightforward wins against Hertford and Magdalen followed, before a nervy draw in our final game of the group claimed us top spot, and a place in the grand final (against the winners of the other group).
A David vs Goliath match it was, as the plucky M&Ms and their team spirit took on Queen’s and their five Blues players, but it was a neck-and-neck affair to the very last. Benedict took to clattering his University coach to the floor at every opportunity, which distracted him enough to result in a couple of goals, Hannah S swept in gloriously from 8cm, Christian tackled Blues players like his life depended on it, and all across the pitch players busted a lung chasing every ball to keep us in the game. With two minutes to go it was 3-3, and there were golden opportunities at each end, a penalty stroke for us and a short corner for them. Sadly in the crucial final seconds their clinical nature shone through and we fell to a cruel 4-3 loss in the most scintillating of finals. All in all, however, in a team without a single Blues player up against an entire league full of them, it was a phenomenal team effort to take home silver, and bodes well for the season to come.
Casual training open to all and socials were rather limited by Covid, but we’re looking forward to October and a resumption of regular service. By then our kit orders should be fully sorted as well, so keep an eye out for the soon-to-be-best-dressed-college-hockey-players-at-Oxford. Until next time, up the M&Ms.
Will Barker (2019), Benedict Yorston (2019), and Elysia Zdolyny (Mansfield, 2019)
M&M Hockey Co-Captains 2020-21