Off the back of an unbeaten season in the England Lacrosse Midlands league, Cambridge University Mixed Lacrosse Club (CUMLC) Blues took on Sutton Bonington in the Midlands Regional semi-finals last Sunday (6/3), with a National semi-finals spot on the line. Fresh from a 13-7 Varsity victory the week before, and fourth place at Saturday’s (5/3) Imperial Cup, CUMLC were focused on the National Championship to bring more silverware back to Cambridge.

On a blustery afternoon at Queens’ College Lacrosse pitch, the mixed Blues got off to a fast start. Center Izzy McGill cleanly secured the ball at the first draw. In a rapid transition up the pitch, midfielder Oren Hargreaves assisted attacker Lucy Hilton in the opening goal of the game. This pair of Fitzwilliam players, having warmed up together in a college match beforehand, were certainly on the same wavelength.

Cambridge secured the ball again after the second draw, but this time striker Harry Whelan fumbled the ball leading to a Sutton Bonington (SB) turnover. Moving the ball quickly back up the pitch, SB exploited a sleeping Light Blue defence to score. SB’s equalising goal was disallowed, however, as one of the visitors’ defenders strayed offside, ruling out the equaliser and spelling an end to SB’s scoring past Cambridge towering keeper, Kit Baker.

Following a strong clear from Baker and transition through midfielder Rob Maclennan, this time striker Whelan did not disappoint with a tasty second goal for CUMLC.

McGill then added her name to the scorecard, as did Maclennan, and with the board showing 4-0 halfway through the first quarter, the Light Blues had quickly secured a strong early lead.

Up in SB’s fan, Whelan was fouled and quickly slotted his second from a free position at the middle hash. Next, another Fitzwilliam college partnership goal saw defender Ran Zmigrod assist Hilton’s second conversion of the day.

With the goals rolling in, CUMLC’s subs began rolling on. Impact sub and Harriers veteran Tash Wren assisted Hilton with a long but pinpoint pass to secure the attacker’s hat-trick. Cambridge were 7-0 up when the first whistle blew.

Midfielder MacLennan opened up the second-half scoring with a creative sweep decoy movement off the back of Cambridge’s attackers. The next goal came from Emma James with an assist from Captain Emily Jenkins. Jenkins was awarded a free position, which Whelan then managed to score from.

A mint movement, swapping Chloe Frantzis and Alex Shaw across the restrainer, exploited the SB defence for James to soon score her second goal, taking CUMLC into half-time eleven unanswered goals up.

James opened the third quarter by scoring an unbelievable spin, a fake high, and a shot to the bottom right corner, cementing her hat-trick. Whelan scored the second goal of the second half with an assist from Wren.

Clearing the ball from Cambridge’s half, Captain Sebastian Mitchell went down after an accidental studding from SB’s attack. Bringing on a defensive sub, the ball was quickly moved upfield where MacLennan beat two SB defenders before scoring his third with a behind-the-back shot.

After the next draw, MacLennan scored again with a solo drive, bringing his count to two pair. Experienced attacker Hilton called on the Light Blue attack to settle their play. Her encouragement was followed by a Hargreaves goal from midfield.

SB came very close to scoring, but after a dropped ball and turnover Cambridge’s Zmigrod made a foray upfield, netting his first goal of the day. The quarter finished at 19-0 to the Blues.

Whelan opened up the scoring in the final quarter, followed by another from Hargreaves.

After being impeded while trying to drive to goal, MacLennan passes the ball behind goal to Mitchell. Accidentally forgetting which side of the stick to use, Captain Mitchell then looked to crease roll but to no avail. With help in the form of a pick from attacker Hilton, Mitchell added himself to the scoreboard.

CUMLC’s third goal in the quarter came from a beautiful quick-stick from centre McGill, followed by a fourth from Jenkins, and a fifth from Wren.

A final goal brought the score to 26-0, marking a convincing win for Cambridge. 

Players of the Match: Rob Maclennan and Sebastian Mitchell (Cambridge)

Teams

Cambridge: Kit Baker (GK), Alex Benton, Lucy Evans (GK), Chloe Frantzis, Oren Hargreaves, Lucy Hilton, Emma James, Emily Jenkins (CC), Faris Khan, Rob MacLennan, Izzy McGill, Sebastian Mitchell (CC), Cat Parry, Alex Shaw, Thea Shipway, Harry Whelan, Tash Wren, Ran Zmigrod

Sutton Bonington: Unconfirmed

CUMLC will now take on either Birmingham University in the Midlands Regional final on Sunday 20th March at Whyfield Site, Cambridge. Meanwhile, the Blues will either face London City Panthers or Oxford City in the National semi-finals, with the draw being made after their Regional clash.