It was the very last event for this season.  The girls from KE7 soccer woke up early in the morning for their big day.  Prior to this match, they have been training constantly, working on both stamina and skills.  It was the day for them to deliver results. The female soccer carnival consisted of 5 games which were to be carried out within a day. It was quite a challenge for all the teams as it was easy to be exhausted after just a few matches.  The weather was not particularly kind to the players when the scorching sun hung high in the sky.

Moreover, in the first game, we faced a very strong opponent, Temasek Hall. It was not a boost for our morale, and yet the girls fought like titans.  They did not give their opponents a smooth sail either.  There were several close attempts in securing a goal but they were thwarted by the more experienced Temasek team.  TH kept pressing the ball.  Although our goalkeeper really tried her very best to defend, the players from Temasek scored 5 goals before the game ended.  Surged with a fire to fight back, our players pushed the ball to play a high pressure offence.  The tactic worked magnificently well as we managed to score just before the game ended

Im just right behind

In the second game we played Eusoff which was another strong team.  There was a lot of communication amongst the players.  It was a good sign to engage all the players in the game.  Our team played excellent defense.  The defenders were quick to run back and defend the goal, impeding Eusoff from scoring.  The game ended the game with a score of 1 – 0 when Eusoff scored their only goal.  Eusoff guarded their goal well, leaving almost no traces of possibilities to break into their defense.  It was down to the next few matches to determine our fate in female soccer.

Not so fast..

The third game saw our girls’ team facing Sheares Hall.  After the first two matches, the girls were drained off their energy.  Morale was not exactly high then too as their opponents were formidable.  After some inspiring prep talk from the captain, Vic-ki, the team found their inner strength and vowed to play well.  A game well played was what the supporters saw then.  Although the previous games consumed most of their energy, they were fast on their feet in the field.  They created chances to score although they were futile.  There were many dramatic saves made by the goalkeeper as well.  They managed to drag the game and ended it with a tie where none of the teams scored any point.

Keep it up, girls!!

In the 4^th game, we played Kent Ridge Hall which was another very competitive team. The tie in the previous game proved that the girls had what it took to play a decent match.  All fueled up, the girls marched into the field with new found energy.  Not to be threatened, they were also rather offensive at times, trying to push past KR’s defense.  Nevertheless, KR managed to score two goals.  Our girls did their best but Lady Luck simply wasn’t present that day.

The last game was against Raffles Hall. Although it was obvious our team’s standing was not high on the chart, the girls upheld admirable sportsmanship.  They were determined to deliver a good match for the supporters.  They continued to amaze the fans with their skills. Our team playes their defense well and very often stopped Raffles’ team from scoring many times.  There were a few moments where everyone thought that RH would score with their corner kicks but the goalkeeper guarded the post well.  RH managed to score once. The very impressive moment came in at the last one minute when we managed to push into Raffles’ zone and scored a goal! The girls team were elated as that left both teams with a tie.  Cheers erupted for a game well played..

An elated crowd

On guard!

Results:
Lost (1 – 5) to TH
Lost (0 – 1) to EH
Tie (0 – 0) to SH
Lost (0 – 2) to KR
Tie (1 – 1) to RH

4×100 male relay – CK was all set to sprint ahead of the other contenders.  With the baton gripped firmly, he had his jaw set in reaching Aljun ahead of anyone else.  He was phenomenal, running past some of the contestants easily.  Aljun, was anticipating the baton and jogged a little to gain some momentum.  His long limbs were definitely an asset to the team.  And Run Like the Wind he did, before passing the baton to Ramen.  Ramen did his best to close the gap with the other teams.  His calf muscles rippled as he sprinted steadily.  The final lag was dependent on JK.  Although it looked grim, he was adamant to deliver his best.  Despite his lightning speed, they finished 6^th in the race.  It was a rat race out there.  The other halls constituted many superior sprinters who had not only the physique but also extraordinary skills in baton passing.  However, our fighting spirit would not be diminished so early on, and our runners persevered on.

Nice and easy..

4×100 female relay – Xiaohan kicked start the race in lane 3 with whirlwind speed.  She was unquestionably a force not to be reckoned with on the field.  She passed the baton to Shadrina who stayed vigilant.  Not a second was wasted when she immediately took off and tried her best to keep ahead of the other sprinters. She maintained her position as the 4^th before passing it to Alycia. Alycia was all set to sprint as fast as her legs could take her.  She was very focused and managed to keep her momentum throughout the race.  The baton was passed to Germaine.  It looked a little dodgy there as the passing was slightly out of zone.  Nevertheless, she took it as her mission to finish the race as quickly as possible.  There was a high chance the team could finish top three.  Unfortunately, although they finished fourth, our zone judge, Nelson (from KE) confirmed that the last baton was out of bound.  The girls’ team was disqualified.  Dismay and distraught were clearly expressed on their faces.  It was a good race, nevertheless.

Girls power

4×400 female –The team comprised of a mixture of petite and svelte runners which included Joanne, Patricia, Charmaine and Xiaohan. It was not bound to be an easy race as other halls had many IVPs representing them.  Never mind the IVP giants, Joanne kept her cool and managed to get off to an amazing 1^st round.  Patricia that went next fought her way through.  The baton was passed on smoothly to the subsequent runners.  Charmaine and Xiaohan did very well.  They managed to secure 5^th place.

4×400 male – The fantastic four that represented our hall were Guan long, Melvin, Yannick and Madan. Guan Long, who was also the male soccer captain performed a personal best of 59 seconds in the first lap.  He showed supreme spirit by not bending to the extreme stress of playing for soccer, road relay and other athletics event for three consecutive days. However, the other halls had IVPs who ran 53s.  Our remaining runners did their best with Yannick doing 57s and Madan and Melvin doing 1 minute each. As expected, the race was conquered by other halls with IVP.  Our guys were burning with fervor to show what KE has in the medley event.

Ready, set, GO!!

Medley –The most anticipated event of the night was the medley.  Our runners were Shadrina(100m), JK(100m), Arjun(200m), Jolene(400m), Emelyne(800m) and Madan(800m). Our first three runners were very speedy and their baton passings were also highly efficient.  No mistakes were done.  We were leading in 2^nd place when Arjun passed the baton to Jolene.  The crowd was already feverish with cheers and yells, motivating the runners. Jolene faced stong competition from IVP runners but managed to keep her own pace steady.  She was running along with them before passing it to Emelyne. Emelyne, our road relay captain, managed to run ahead and gained 4^th position before passing to Madan. Madan our IVP runner did his best in the last 10m of the race.  It was euphoric to see him overtaking the runner from Temasek and finished in 3^rd position!

We can do this!!

There was an accident that happened during the 4x400m! At the very last 5m of the last lap, runners from Temasek and Sheares collided and both batons were dropped. There was a possibility of both halls being disqualified, and this stirred about 1 hour of discussion between the captains. However, since the race was practically over, they runners were all up for fair play, and allowed both halls to stay on board. KE thus finished 6^th, although they could have finished 4^th.

We'll be back to catch you next year!!

Kudos to all the KE7 Sportsmen and Sportswomen for your determination and hard work training and playing for our hall,
KE7 is very proud of each one of you.

See you next year at IHG 2012!

Edited by: Adriel Leong

The KE Men’s Soccer team on Saturday night played 90 minutes of truly inspirational, determined football against a Eusoff lineup that, unfortunately for us, had lady luck on their side for the day. The 3-1 score disguised a game of solid defending and razor-sharp attacking by a KE side – comprising veterans playing in their swansong appearance and fresh blood making their IHG debut.

H takes a free kick into the Eusoff penalty area

Kicking off at 8:30, the game opened with IHG veteran Horace (affectionately known to one and all simply as “H”) and Athletics captain Arjun upfront, slowly wearing down the Eusoff defence from the get-go.

Our midfield was anchored by Fred and Captain Marvel – Guan Long, who truly complimented each other. They comfortably switched interplay between attack and defence, turning defensive manoeuveres into opportunities for counterattack within a blink of an eye; skillfully clearing the ball or stealing possession and swinging the ball downfield to our strikers and wingers.

Captain Guan Long prepping for counterattack

With Jun Kiat (best known to Keviians as JK) on the right wing and his erstwhile similarly named counterpart CK (whose true identity as Chuang Khet was known only to a select few up till that day) on the left, KE’s Red Knights had the opposing yellow shirts scrambling, after countless balls were lobbed or thrown into the Eusoff penalty area. Time and again, JK skillfully dribbled the ball down the left wing, leaving Eusoff’s defenders with no choic ebut to attempt tackles that won KE throw-ins – much to the delight of the supporters present who gamely provided stunning, multi-lingual variety of cheers.

Midfielders in battle

KE had several good chances as Eusoff’s defending was out of sorts, and their attempts at counterattack was no match for our four-strong backline. Yannick, who since Tuesday had played 5 consecutive days of IHG matches, played left back with freshman Zhi Kai on the right; not forgetting Arnold and Ramen who provided crucial support from the centre. Nelson, also KE’s Floorball captain, proved to be KE’s own Rock of Gibraltar as he shut Eusoff out throughout the entire first half, denying them even in a highly stressful one-on-one challenge towards the conclusion of the 1st 40 minutes.

Yannick clearing for KE

At half-time, the score remained squared at 0-0 a piece. After a quick regroup, the team was back re-energised and hungry for a goal. CK and Arjun – incidentally the smallest and most towering player on the field respectively, were repeatedly the target of Eusoff defenders. CK’s small size belied his blazing sprinting ability, which with Arjun’s incomparable strides often left Eusoff defenders chasing in their wake.

JK preparing to take what would prove to be the decisive free kick

The elusive goal finally came! – at the 60th minute. KE’s domination of the match came to fruition as JK fired an unstoppable free kick which simply left the Eusoff goalie astounded, when he could not keep the ball from crossing the goal-line. With the red-clad supporters in elation, the team deservedly celebrated scoring against their much-vaunted opponents, who apparently 6 IVP players and an S-League player in their ranks.

KE celebrates!

The game went on with a quick substitution of Junfeng coming on for Fred. KE’s defence remained astute and Arnold provided timely, level-headed clearances against Eusoff’s growing desperation in attack. Unfortunately, KE’s joy was cut short as Eusoff managed to equalize ten minutes later following a dogged battle in KE’s half.

KE continued to do battle, and with eight minutes left of play, 09/10 captain Cunzhi came on for CK, whose efforts during the entire match against opportunistic defenders and ill-timed tackles had left him with a mud-caked shirt which was now more brown than red. Cunzhi began to threaten from the onset, taking crucial free-kicks that bolstered KE’s counterattacks.

The defence prepares for a corner

However, heartbreak came for the Reds as Eusoff added 2 more goals in the dying minutes of the game. The match ended 3-1 in their favour, an unfortunate result that rewarded opportunity and lady luck over the steady and confident football that KE had displayed. Despite the odds and against the ticking clock, our players continued to pressure their defence and win free kicks, attacking relentlessly till the final whistle.

This was truly a game where tension ran high and spirit was aplenty. It is notable that despite the scoreline, our players took the initiative to cheer the supporters in appreciation, and the opponents for the match. The sportsmanship that they displayed underscored their love for the game and ability to look beyond the pressure of a big match. From their antics on Saturday, our opponents would be hard pressed to match us in this respect.

As CK mentioned, this match is indeed an indication of the greater things to come for KE Soccer. Though many of the familiar faces on the team will be graduating, this season’s experience will no doubt drive the new blood to greater heights, as they seek to fill the legacy left by their seniors. Rather than marking the end of one IHG campaign, this match shows beginning of a new team waiting to prove their mettle at next year’s IHG!

KE Soccer 10/11

It was Wednesday, 16^th of February, the sun was setting into the distant west, casting shadows that droop long and thinly onto the golden-greenish grass patches of the SRC field. Two teams of red and blue were sequestered neatly into the two halves of the pitch, passing soccer balls elegantly between their feet in preparation for the imminent IHG soccer match (Men’s): King Edward VII Hall (KE) against Kent Ridge Hall (KR).

Our team walks into this match in good form, knowing that they are already in the semi-finals, and this match is merely for seeding in the knockout stage of the competition. On the other end of the field, however, the team from Kent Ridge bears a must-win attitude to this game, knowing that losing will mean elimination, since they only drew in their previous game.

The teams exchanged handshakes and the coin was tossed; the whistle ran – and the match was under way. Fielding a familiar 4-4-2 formation, It was clear that balanced was the approach for KE – conservative yet waiting for opportunities and openings. Indeed, it was Kent Ridge who started the first wave of attack. In the opening minutes, possession was almost dominated by the players of KR, and the players from KE were scurrying to patch up the holes of in their half. The first shot was produced just five minutes into the game – a powerful strike from KR from the right edge of the penalty box, which went over the bar. KR continued their momentum with a header from the left side of the penalty box, again going just over the bar.

After the two warning signs from KR, the players from KE gradually got hold of their bearings and regained control of the game. In the eleventh minute a thunderous strike from a KE striker forced a diving save from the KR keeper, wowing the audience and turning up the heat of the game. The next twenty minutes of the game saw KE control possession and fully exploiting the KR’s defensive loopholes as the midfield repeatedly tormented KR with through balls and lobs. A succession of shots was launched by KE, but each time it was equaled and neutralized by the KR defence and keeper. However, a goal still eluded the teams and the audience.

A midfielder from KE skillfully dribbling his way past defenders from KR

In the 34^th minute, a moment of careless defending from KE gave KR the golden opportunity to take the lead. Losing the ball from their own half, the defenders of KE were still scrambling to get back to their own positions when a right winger from KR lobbed a threatening cross into the penalty box. With no defender in the box, the striker powered a free header towards the goal with the goalkeeper off position! Amazingly though, the header was off target – scraping the top of the crossbar again. The supporters from KE gave an unanimous sigh of relief when the ball flew over and out of the field.

The teams exchanged a few more possessions subsequently, with neither side really managing to break through the defense as the match progresses to half-time .At half-time, the teams were even; the players from KE had more chances and created more chances, but perhaps the best opportunities had to be given to the players of KR. Still, it was a close match and the score was fair.

The fifteen minute break lapsed in no time and the soon the ball was up and running on the field again. Clearly the half-time briefing was about increasing the tempo and the change is apparent – both teams showed strong intent and action was noticeably faster. Within the first minute, the defenders from KE were caught napping when KR stringed a fluid set of passes that culminated in a dangerous cross and a good shot from point-blank range. Amazingly though, for the second time, the ball missed the target, this time running through the wrong side of the vertical beam.

A minute later, the deadlock was finally broken. In what seems to be a direct response to KR’s attack moments ago, KE launched their own blitz attack right from their base. A good kick from goalkeeper Nelson brought the ball right into the heart of the midfield, nodded on by a midfielder and immediately the ball was free and KE’s No. 10 – affectionately called CK – was through on goal! Facing great pressure from the last defender and the opposition goalkeeper rushing off his line, CK coolly and calmly slotted home the ball from the left of KR goalkeeper’s outstretched hand. GOAL! The supporters were ecstatic.

KE No. 10, celebrating his goal in emphatic style

The players from KR can only watch helplessly as the ball rolled into their net

KR seemed to lose their drive for the subsequent ten minutes as KE continued to dominate possession; the lack of confidence and imminent prospect of elimination was evident in their actions. For the greater part of the second half the players from KR were a shadow of their initial self in the first half. Both teams struggled for possession in the midfield and the game never saw another goal again. Credit has to be given to KE defense for shutting down KR’s attempts at a comeback. The latter part of the half was marred by player injuries and cramps and the game stalled frequently as the strenuity of the game took its toll on both team’s players. Substitutions were made by both teams, and KE managed to hold on to their nerves and eventually emerged as deserved winners.

The final score KE 1 – 0 KR.

When asked about their thoughts on this match, squad player An Shing said

‘It was a good game and we can now be assured of a good rest, and an easier opponent for the next round.’

Indeed, with a performance like this, our soccer team can be confident of progressing much further in this competition. Well done KE Men’s Soccer!

The heroes of the night - Great performance!

Edited by: Jocelyn Yeo

Photos by: Deborah, Wang Jing, and Zhenlei

The KE floorball girls had their day-long IHG campaign on Saturday, the 19^th of February. For them, the day started early at 9 am with breakfast at the dining hall, followed by a warm-up supervised by Nelson and MingZhou. So by the time we departed for SRC, everyone was fired up and ready for war.

Nelson, who was the acting team manager and coach for the day, said of carnival style competitions, “must have fun…play competitively, but must have fun.” And with that, along with the final warm-ups and last minute strategy sessions out of the way, it was soon time for the gilrs to take the court.

KE vs EH: 0-3

KE started with Alycia, Cherie and Patrica up front, with Jia Ni and Laura at the back. Annisa knelt in the goal, one of the team’s brightest freshman prospects this year. Unfortunately for us, EH won the faceoff, and proceeded then to immediately score, with our girls just marginally behind. Within the two minutes however, Laura had managed to break out of our half of the court, passing the ball swiftly to Alycia, who then streaked down the line and drew the Eusoff foul for the first free hit of the game. The game grew increasingly physical, as the second line led by Ruth came in. Ruth was everywhere, running down the line and blocking a point blank shot at the goal, urging her line on

But then a mistimed free hit allowed EH another point, as Jerusha and her opponent brought each other and the board down while tussling for the ball. (This reporter had to fling away his clipboard and flee for his life as the Eusoffian who looked as heavy as he was came crashing down where he sat.) And thus at a score of 0-2, the first half scrapped to a close.

The second half was much brighter. Alycia, fastest KEVIIan on the court, broke away and got off a shot which went agonizingly wide. Jia Ni then picked off a shot that had beaten Annisa and was trickling into the goal, preventing EH from scoring another point. But then the referee whistled for a penalty, and all the KEVIIans groaned.

Brilliantly however, Annisa forced the shooter wide, and the latter could only smile ruefully as the weak shot went wide of the post and clattered into the board. And on the game continued, but it was stalemate until Eusoff got another shot off and made the score 0-3, before we held to the end of the game.

Captain leads by example.

KE vs TH: 0-4

The girls then came out of the blocks against TH on fire. Laura and Patricia’s partnership was put to the test, ad Patricia blocked once and then again, while TH poured down the left flank.

But with Annisa picking up anything that Pat dropped, the white giants (and yes they were all huge) were held at bay.

Then it was our turn to attack, with May Ee forcing the keeper to dive for a save. Then, Alycia, running like a guided missile, twisted away from her marker and unleashed a fierce shot that beat the keeper but sadly rattled back off the bar, as the whole MPSH gasped at the audacity that KE would lash back at the vaunted sports hall. Back TH came, but there was always a red shirt blocking their shot.

The brave defence, however, couldn’t last. TH pounded the goal with shot after shot, and then sixth time lucky, they finally scored in the 12th minute as the half ended.

Yanqi, Aoyun and Stephanie then had their IHG debut as fresh energy was infused into the lines. Again TH shot and again the defenders threw themselves in front of Annisa, with Khar Suan taking a shot to the eye that left her blinded momentarily before she recovered to hold the line. Patricia was getting tired after a heroic first half, but Laura stepped up to cover, stretching to block the shots.

Our left flank finally buckled again, as a TH player got loose to make it two from range. A well-taken free hit then put TH 0-3 up. But the girls doggedly pressed on, slamming a free hit against the Temasek wall. It was unfortunate that TH got a final goal before the game finally ended 0-4 to Temasek.

The star player of the day.

KE vs SH: 0-2

Sheares’ was a short sharp game. SH went ahead through a freak goal after Annisa made a rare mistake and was foxed by a wickedly spinning shot. But KE was poured forward within five minutes, pinning Sheares in their half. Annisa then more than made up for her mistake, as she saved a one on one, with the Sheares girl clean through on goal.

With the game finely balanced, Nelson once again put in the attacking trio – Alycia, Cherie and Patricia. This almost paid dividends at once when Alycia again sprinted clear of the defence and nearly found Pariciat with her cross, and with our defenders closing down the shots, it was perhaps unfortunate that Sheares scored again in a goalmouth scramble before the half ended.

Halftime, and KE was trailing in only creativity and scoreline, having run with equal heart and skill as the Shearites. In the second half, KE had a good opportunity to equalize when a Sheares player was given a 2 minute suspension for handball. While the writer sympathizes with the player in question, it was an opportunity for us to press. With the defence spraying passes into the SH half, we hoped fervently for a goal. But alas, our girls, having subsisted through the year on suppers at NUH just didn’t have the muscle mass of the chicken-eating Shearites, and were pushed off the ball repeatedly. But they continued to run, Ruth, Alycia and May Ee being singled out for praise by Nelson after the match for their lung-bursting efforts

Finally, May Ee was put clean through on the goal, though it was unfortunate that the Sheares keeper was out in time to block. The game then ended 0-2 in favour of SH.

Defending hard and fast.

KE vs RH: 0-1

“The RH game was better”, Nelson would later say, and it was unfortunate that the outcome turned out as it did. Having caught their second wind, the girls were looking to equal the victory of the guys two weeks back. Against them was an RH team with an incredibly brave keeper (that is, Huijin-esque bravery) who had a nice shiny helmet.

The game was equal at the start, with Ruth shooting on target already by the 4th minute, and then again 7 minutes later. Five minutes of intense pressure by RH tested Khar Suan and Jerusha severely, as they alternately passed themselves out of trouble or advanced to block incoming shots, with Annisa chalking up another point blank save. The girls were getting tired but were playing better and better, with possession becoming a premium, as RH chased them down. Still, Raffles nearly scored in the final touch of the game, with the whistle going off just in time.

With Nelson and Mingzhou urging the girls to press on, the second half saw the KEVIIans pouring forward. The RH was, however, were no pushovers and hit the bar once. It would take something special for either side to score, and this something came from a penalty conceded when our girls accidentally skipped through the goalkeeper’s crease.

We were hoping that the shooter would only be as good as Nelson in his shot against the RH guys, but much to her credit, she proceeded to score with a deft left and right. And on came the red players again.

A ball drifted across KE’s goal. Khar Suan screened the RH player lying in wait, while Fang Ming repossessed the ball and sent it hurtling up the court. A wild goalmouth scramble then saw Fang Ming, Alycia and Cherie all miss narrowly while Patrick thumped this reporter on the back in frustration, ruining his handwriting, and Musa nearly pulled out his hair.

But the attempted comeback took a blow when Jia Ni was given a 2 minutes suspension for slashing. Still, Alycia blocked two shots and streaked untouched down the court with the ball, though her shot was comfortably saved by RH’s keeper. Though the scoreline remained for the remainder of the game, it was a much better match, with many of the players playing better than they ever have before.

Teamwork at play.

KE vs KR: 0-3

And finally, it came to the match against KR, a team which contained a good few distinguished players. Fired up by Ming Zhou’s encouragements and the looming prospect of dinner, the girls were determined to give all they had.

It was evident from the start that everyone was tired, but Laura’s clearance was still far and Ruth still ran tirelessly from end to end, supporting the attacks, before tracking back to cut out the shots. KR’s number 30 was spectacularly good at stick work, but on the right flank that she roamed, Khar Suan or Jia Ni was always there, following her like a second shadow or kneeling to pick off the shot. Annisa was stellar, as always, diving into the midst of the flashing sticks to pluck the ball from the fray, with Jerusha blocking the rebounds that got clear.

Everyone was finally playing in position, and the transitions between defence and attack flowed smoothly, with Ruth taking one and then another shot on target. It took 3 KR players in a goalmouth scramble to score their first with the very last shot of the half.

The second half was just as fiery, while Hwee Ting and Dina made their IHG debuts. Jerusha took a heavy hit which sent her into the boards, and we were unfortunate to concede a second when Annisa made a mistimed pass, only the second mistake in an otherwise spectacular day.

Despite their lead, KR was committing many a slash or high stick, giving our tired girls several needed free hits. Our girls were still going all out, so much so that Jerusha literally dived onto the courts headfirst in her enthusiasm, nearly giving the referee a heart attack. Still the girls clung on, even while they were one man down after a handball. The fact that KR finally got a third goal does not detract from the fact that in those 30 min, the girls played the best they had ever done.

Great fight floorball girls!

So the day ended 0-5 for KE. But as the girls hugged and cheered, it was obvious that the day ended happily for them. As Ming Zhou said during the final debrief, “I think today you all played [for the last match] better than you all have ever done before”. Annisa, having played so bravely and with such agility, simply smiled and said “It’s an experience…”, while Jia Ni, female captain said the day was “tiring but fun… What do I think of my team? I think they really put 100% today. They improved throughout the matches and Alycia, Laura, the rest, they all grew through the game. Although we had nothing on KR’s match, it was really great.”

Well done, floorball girls, we are all so very proud of you!

Written by: Julian Tay
Edited by: Adriel Leong

It was the 13^th February 2011, a Sunday and the eve of Valentine Day – a common day of rest or celebration for most people; yet the softballers of KE VII Hall were already up awake early in the morning and busy readying themselves armed with a mission in hand: to clinch a medal at the ongoing Inter-Hall Games (IHG) and bring glory to not only to themselves but more importantly the hall. After having fought two intense matches against Eusoff Hall (EH) and Kent Ridge Hall (KR) in the preliminaries – with a win against KR but a lost against EH – the team was set to challenge Sheares Hall (SH) in the semifinal rounds today.

As per usual, our softballers were already out in the field warming up with their usual routine pitches and passes way before the match even commenced, at 9 am. Unlike the previous two matches 2 weeks ago, the field and weather conditions were a stark contrast today. There were no dark overcast clouds or chilly breezes but instead the sun shined unrelentlessly, with even the slightest shade not to be found from amongst the sparse clouds. The field, on the other hand, was just nothing but dryness and rock-hard, dismissing any concern of slipping accidentally like in the previous matches.

The team line-up for the defense position was very similar to the other two matches except with only one exception; Jerusha was replaced with Wen Chean. The rest of the players on the field were Mafer, April, Unnaa, Jason (pitcher), Ashish, Jamil, Ruth, Kazu and Merrill.

Our Softballers in their Motivational Huddle

The match began with our softball team taking the offensive and SH taking the defensive, but not before each team had their own motivational huddle and inspirational words by their respective team captain. Like the previous matches, the whole team which sported the hall official colour – red, ended with the familiar rendition of “KE whack their balls” before roaring off to their respective positions.

In the top half of the first inning, our softballers were off to a slow start with only a point from Jason’s run, credit to Kazu’s excellent batting which sent the ball way past their outfielders. The tone of the match switched drastically in the bottom half of the first inning when the SH team completed their turn with 4 points from a combination of several really good battings by their players and honest mistakes by players on our team.

Jason’s controlled throw in one of his many excellent pitching

Our players were undaunted and went on to up their ante in the second inning. Merill scored a point courtesy of Jamil’s good swing and it seemed that we had a good chance of recouping our losses. All of the bases were filled with players but alas the opponent made a save that caused the third person from the team to strike out, which was truly a waste indeed. The SH team then fought back harder and widened the margin by an additional 4 points to leave the score tally at 2-8 by the end of the second inning.

From then onwards, our softball team was unable to clinch additional points while the SH team garnered even more points with excellent battings by several of their players. The game was stopped at the fourth inning as time ran out and the final tally for the match was a 14-2 loss against SH.

Out Softballers After Their Gruelling Match

While there was certainly dissapointment displayed on the faces of our players, they managed to brush it off and gave each other pats of encouragement. They may not have won a medal for the hall but their spirit and efforts out on the field today should be lauded. Despite SH having many experienced players on their side, our softballers never once succumbed to their nerves.

On behalf of KE VII Hall, I would like to say “Thank you softballers for your effort today and for putting up a good fight!”

Written by: Stephanie Yeo

Our KE7 female badminton team faced off with Sheares Hall (SH) on a calm evening on the 9th of February. After a sumptuous Chinese New Year hall dinner that filled their energy reserves, the girls made their way down to MPSH 5, where the battle was to be held. I arrived just in time to see them warming up, practicing their services and strokes.

First to play was Liu Si, in a singles match. She was a bundle of nerves, and had every reason to feel nervous as her opponent was an IVP player. Our other female players continued to shout words of encouragement throughout her whole match, which helped calm her down. Alas, Liu Si was no match for her opponent’s consistent strokes and smashes. She actually had a few good shots, but they unfortunately went out of court, and thus conceded 4-21, 1-21.

Up next were dynamic duo Mae Yue and Cherie in a doubles match. The 2 girls were seasoned players, and had a tough match ahead of them. Teamwork is very crucial in a doubles match, as you would not want both players lunging for the shuttlecock at the same time, losing points. The girls easily won their first set 21-9 thanks to their powerful forehand smashes. However, the score margin narrowed in the second set as SH stepped up their game. The duo varied their game play to a larger extent, sending the shuttlecock near the net or far back in the court to make their opponents run more. Finally, we emerged victorious with a score of 22-20!

Cherie and Mae Yue!

The win lifted everyone’s spirit, and everyone was all smiles. The third match of the evening saw Stephanie battling a petite SH girl. A book is definitely not to be judged by its cover though, as it turned out that Stephanie’s opponent often hit high and far balls. Perhaps her opponent managed to figure out her strategy and weakness by the second set, and was thus defeated 13-21, 4-21.

The second last match of the day featured April and Jiyuan in a doubles match. Both of them had better chemistry than their opponent, who didn’t communicate as well and kept going for the ball at the same time. Making use of SH’s Achilles’ heel, the girls won the first set 21-9. In the second set however, SH came back stronger as the girls had to fight harder to score against. SH put more pressure on KE to close the score gap. Then again, teamwork was still the crucial factor and we won 21-13. Second win to KE!

Jiyuan and April in play.

I must say the final match of the day was quite nail-biting, as it would determine if we could enter the semis. In a surprising turn of events, Png Ning’s opponent was a former KEviian. The first set went to SH as the opponent had more powerful serves and Png Ning wasn’t quick enough to go for the hit. However with SH’s energy draining fast, Png Ning managed to overcome her opponent by a narrow gap 21-19 in the second set. By now, everyone was jumping up and down in excitement as the tiebreaker match began. Fatigue had already set in for both sides, and they volleyed the shuttlecock back and forth, waiting for each other to make a mistake. However, SH dominated due to her strength of serves and a tired Png Ning did her best to defend against them. The final score was 7-21, 21-19, 6-21.

It was a really close call for our girls – their performance had been one of the best in recent years. A big thumbs up to their effort, teamwork and encouragement on court. I am sure they will come back even stronger and more determined next IHG!

Written by: Jason Yan
Edited by: Jocelyn Yeo

Wednesdays, by even the wildest stretch of the imagination, are not the most ideal days of the week to hold any event. It so happened then, interestingly enough, that KE7’s male badminton team was set to play against RH on the Wednesday evening of 9th February in the depths of the MPSH courts. But no matter, it was more than apparent that the team would not prove a letdown to KE7’s good name. It being a Wednesday, there was a conspicuous lack of supporters from KE7, save for this humble writer and a few stray others – but this was no doubt more than adequate to put fire into the hearts of our players; the team gave currency to the cliché “save the best for last” when they strategically waited for the rest of the Halls, namely RH, Sheares (SH) and Kent Ridge (KR) to finish cheering before doing so themselves at a grand volume much louder than all three Halls combined. And thus the match began.

Liu Bo was chosen to open the first singles match, and into the battlefield he went. His technical mastery was obvious to all spectators present, be it those from Raffles or the few speckles of red. However, perhaps it was his nerves, the confidence of his opponent, or the sheer pressure of this being his first competitive badminton match since the opening of IHG, he ultimately had to concede to his opponent, who played with a steady hand.

Fighting hard

The first doubles match was played by Gregory and Fang Hau, close friends on and off the court who paired up to form a formidable team. This pairing proved to be an advantage as the duo came up with some unconventional tactics (such as Fang Hau ducking to let Gregory take the shuttlecock), which threw their opponents off balance. Nonetheless, the Raffles duo recovered all too quickly, and a few mistakes made on our front due to a lack of communication proved dear and finally cost us our would-be victory.

The team’s morale was undeniably flat. Perhaps it was the disheartening lack of supporters, or perhaps it was the backlash of a last-minute change in line-up (as overheard), but regardless, the match was to go on, and our team never ever once gave up trying. Our team captain, Chun Keat, was next to go. As the last match against Eusoff Hall (EH) illuminated, he was a tough opponent to go against, with both prior IHG experience and a relentless drive under his belt. Again, the spectators were treated to a graceful and powerful display of badminton techniques known to mankind – and it was by a sheer, unfortunate margin that KE7 had to concede to RH.

Playing strong, with experience and drive

The outcome of the match was clear by now, but KE7 played on as fiercely and unrelentingly as ever (this writer is more than glad to assert this fact). Our dynamic duo, Ryan Phoa and Yun Han, whose synergy and consummate teamwork was affirmed at the previous match, was called up next. Yet again, everyone present witnessed a performance to be remembered. They were off to a good start, and it was clear to the RH opponents that this was not a round to be taken lightly. However, RH retaliated more fiercely than before, and once again managed to clinch a hard-won victory.

Jet Chun came up to close the match, and he played steadily to the end with a quiet confidence, his shaky nerves abandoned at the courts of KR last week. Unfortunately, the experienced RH opponent proved too much of a challenge to him, and the match ultimately fell into RH’s favor despite Jet Chun’s strong defense and visible determination.

KE7 thus succumbed 5 – 0 to RH.

While the match may not have been a victory in terms of scores, it is undeniable that we have already crowned our team champions, for they played to the end gallantly. We can be more than assured that they can only go further, and will prove, once again, to be tough opponents to go up against next year.

Players offering congratulations after the match

Written by: Png Ning

On 8 February 2011, the male soccer players from King Edward Hall braced themselves for their first battle, against Sheares Hall. Although a sudden downpour had the playing condition unfavourable for our soccer players as the field was horrendously muddy and slippery, our soccer captain, Guan Long, prepped his players well to brave the adverse circumstances. The lineup that won us a victory was as follows: leftback: Yannick, centre back: Guan Long, Raymond and Zhi Kai, left wing: Chiu Khet (CK), midfield: Jun Kiat, Antoine and Fred, Right wing: Yong Sheng, upfront: Arjun, goalkeeper: Nelson.

KE started off well, dominating the field within the first 10 minutes of the game, and making sure that the ball was within their possession all the time. Guan Long managed to score the first goal easily at the 6th minute after a penalty kick was awarded to them. The determination to play was formidable. Nelson made many beautiful saves when the ball came near their goal post by keeping vigilant at all times. There were several occasions where he risked getting literally kicked in the face by his opponents. He was a lion, tenaciously defending his den.

They almost scored their second goal several times by making excellent passes to their midfielders but were well countered by their opponents. As SH got more agitated after failing to break through our defense (they had themselves to blame as their shots were not intense anyway), the players were rather rough. Arjun ended up with a yellow card after committing a foul. It was not to our advantage as Arjun is an accomplished striker. Our chance in scoring came when Yong Shen paid a through ball but was tackled by their defender that sprung out of nowhere. Just before the first half of the game ended, Nelson deflected a through ball using his body. It was a near miss that had all the supporters break into cold sweat.

During the half time, Cunzhi, last year’s Captain cautioned them not to cram up the field with too many players as it made it difficult for Arjun to score. In the second half of the game, the players faced a few free kicks from a persistent Sheares side. Nevertheless, Nelson managed to save them all. The atmosphere turned tense as time was ticking away. Our players were too fast on the mud-spattered field that CK injured himself. He had a pretty bad sprained knee and was forced to sit out for the rest of the match. Although they had a man down, it did not waver their attempt to impress the crowd. We were not disappointed when Jun Kiat passed a strikingly excellent ball from the side to the middle and Arjun took the golden opportunity to score. The supporters were elated and clapped their hands sore. Our opponents wasted a couple of free kicks as the ball flew pathetically out of the field, missing the goal post by miles. The ball was distributed evenly throughout the field. Our players defended well, giving no chance for our opponents to score. It wasn’t Arjun alone that was given a yellow card. Jun Kiat committed a foul when he accidentally attacked the opponent from behind, trying to get hold of the ball. The game ended with our team emerging as the winner. The score was 2-0.

Cunzhi was particularly impressed at how the players played their game,” The team played well. They have been rewarded well with this victory. They truly deserve it. I hope to see more KEVIIans coming down to support in the next match.”

The current captain, Guan Long who is also a IVP mentioned that the team worked hard for this victory,” We have put in our effort throughout the whole year. It is more about team work and strategy. I would appreciate more support from KE in our next match.”

Editor’s note : There were no photographs of the match available yet during press time. These will be published as soon as they are available.