Warwick Bears too good for Coventry

Warwick 15–1 Coventry

The latest encounter between university Ultimate sides Warwick Bears and Coventry Firebirds came with a bit of a twist. Having competed in a friendly game this time last year, this rematch would be the first to count towards the universities’ overall standings in their annual Varsity competition.

It was also the first time this matchup would be played in a mixed format, whereby both sides could field a certain number of male and female players. This day of firsts ended on a familiar note, though – the scoreline was an exact replica of last year’s dominant performance by Warwick, even if the game itself was rather different.

Aware of Warwick’s assuredness in possession from the start of the match, Coventry opened up with a zone defence that slowed the Bears’ attacks without stopping them entirely. A swift opening goal for Warwick seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game after they patiently swung the disc across the pitch to open up space in the end zone.

In defence, Warwick maintained their reputation for hard man coverage, staying tight to opposing players to force wayward throws from the handler under pressure.

Coventry were able to settle into a rhythm of their own at times, though, and their best passages of play came in the form of quick interchanges to steadily make their way up the field. Unlike last year’s late consolation, their lone goal came early in the match to take the score to 3-1 and stifle Warwick’s growing momentum.

In these opening exchanges, the calm and – for the most part – sunny conditions allowed accurate, incisive throwing take hold of the game. If anything, a larger challenge presented itself in the form of the playing surface. The Varsity pitches, too sodden to train on due to consistent rain in recent weeks, became increasingly boggy as players’ studs dug up a muddy expanse in the centre of the field.

First years Zak Dunstone and Romit Patel created opportunities further upfield with some darting runs into space, while hard work in the end zone from Rob Terrett and Laura Oh Chun Xing caused consistent problems for the Coventry defence.

The odd gust of wind began to hamper longer throws in the second half, forcing quick turnovers for both sides. The change in conditions was telling when players threw the initial pull to restart play after a goal. One effort from the otherwise consistent Sam Hawkins landed just a few feet in front of his starting position, offering Coventry a dangerous starting point in front of the Bears’ end zone.

The Firebirds nearly capitalised on these strong positions by calling a time-out in either half of the match to manufacture a set play. After a few minutes of frantic discussion, play resumed and, on both occasions, the disc just eluded the outstretched arm of the intended receiver.

Despite these threats, play was largely characterised by steady play from Warwick. Captain and MVP Hawkins combined well with Robbie Tink and Andy Hillman in the handler positions to ensure that the Bears maintained possession and scored several goals in quick succession in their efforts to close out the game.

Given this impressive play, it was a shame that the match ended on a comparatively anti-climactic note. The final pull looped and swayed in the wind before being dropped next to the Coventry end zone, handing possession back to the home side. From there, a short pass to Terrett was enough to seal victory as Warwick reached the score cap of 15.

Nevertheless, both sides will have taken solace from their respective performances in this game, which showcased encouraging signs of progress ahead of the crucial Midlands University Open Outdoor Regionals tournament the following weekend.