BUCS Match of the Week: Nottingham v Durham Women

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Our BUCS Match of the Week this week takes us to Nottingham for what has the makings of an early season classic between two of the favourites for success in the women’s competition this year.

Although only Week 2 for both teams, the contest may go a long way to deciding the winners of the Premier 1 North division.

And the talent on show on Wednesday promises to be of the highest standard with plenty of international talent all over the pitch in the East Midlands. 

Durham University women’s programme has been the benchmark for university lacrosse in recent years winning five straight BUCS Championship titles dating back to 2015 and currently hold a formidable unbeaten run tallying 75 BUCS games.

In fact, the Palatinates were on a four-year winning run until October last year when Wednesday’s opponents University of Nottingham came so close to ending the streak with an 11-11 draw in this corresponding fixture last year.

And a year on, Nottingham will now be looking to go one better this year, winning their opening fixture comfortably 20-2 away at Loughborough - but are coming up against a stacked line up who also got an opening day win, 15-6 versus Edinburgh. 

Ones to Watch

The ‘ones to watch’ section for both teams could be endless with so much ability on the field but looking at Durham it’s hard to look beyond their captains this year, Tilly Shires and Georgie Southorn.

Shires flourished as one of the young guns in the England squad at the Women’s European Championship this summer, scoring nine goals including one in the final, looking comfortable in a highly competitive midfield string and is sure to be a focal point in the middle of things for Durham.

Similarly, Southorn shone on the international stage this summer leading the England attack at the Under 19 World Championship where she finished as team top point scorer with 21 (16G, 5A) and has now been promoted to the England Senior Performance squad for 2019/20.

Durham also have another three members of the U19 World Championship squad, in goalie Livy Schellekens, attackers Cece Green and Lucy Devine plus England U23 members Maisy Ledsham and Emma Brown.

In addition to their England contingent, Durham also have a strong overseas group including lightning quick attacker Maggie McClain who won the 2018 DIII title with Gettysburg College, and defender Teagan Mockus from Merrimack after winning the 2019 NE10 Championship.

On the opposite side of things, it will be teammates turned rivals within the Under 19 squad as three of the team also line up for the University of Nottingham.

Under 19 captain from the summer, Bella Bowater will be a central figure in the midfield, effective around the draw circle and winning loose balls to set up her team in attack she will be important if Nottingham are to play well.

Similarly, Livy D’Castro, who recorded 8GB and 9CT at the U19 Worlds and was awarded MVP from last week’s game at Loughborough, will have her skills tested in defence along with England U23 squad member Anya Devon-Berry who picked up the tournament MVP award at the 2019 National Schools Championship and joins in her freshers year.

Fiona Fletcher, another U19 squad member joins as a first year to further add to the growing international honours list in addition to strong midfielder Laura Beaman and lively attacker Izzy Yates, who is sure to pose Durham problems, both of which are in the England Senior Performance squad.

The match gets underway at 17:00 at Nottingham’s Jubilee Sports Centre and match highlights will be available on Thursday along with the match report of all the action from Nottingham.