by Arintha Adelina (14S05B) and Seraphine Chanentia (14S06N)
Photographs by Ng Chong Zheng (14S03L) and Nicholas Koh (14S06E) from Photographic Society
On 20 May 2013, the Raffles Institution basketball team lost a hard fought game to Anderson Junior College (AJC) by a final score of 44-37, eventually finishing overall 4th. While they may not have emerged champions, they certainly did not come out as losers. Our team kept fighting till the end, showcasing admirable perseverance and great sportsmanship.
The match started with AJC drawing first blood with a well-taken shot, eliciting an almost instantaneous response from the RI team when Daniel Lee swiftly countered with a skilful shot of his own. It was to be a breathless first quarter, as both teams appeared to be evenly matched. With both RI and AJC intent on preventing their opponents from scoring, the match soon stagnated at 5-5 as uncontested shots were few and far between. However, the deadlock was dramatically broken as AJC scored in the last few seconds of the quarter, giving them a 7-5 lead going into the break.
Yao Zhong (RI) driving play forward
Our opponents started the second quarter strongly by putting together an unanswered 8-point streak, widening the gap to 15-5 within the first three minutes. Yao Zhong finally managed to halt the momentum of AJC’s attacks, adding two points for RI with his layup. However, this was merely a blip in an otherwise dominant AJC display, as they strengthened their lead by blowing open a 17 point gap with a score of 24-7 heading into the last minute of the quarter. Nonetheless, our boys persevered and managed to claw back points during the last few moments of the quarter, ending the first half of the game with a score of 24-11 in AJC’s favour.
Lim Mingjun (RI) tries to dribble past two defenders
But the team was not disheartened in the slightest. We started the second half with a bang as our basketballers sought to close the 13 point gap. Through a combination of tireless running and intelligent pressing, they forced a number of successive turnovers, showing that our team not going to throw in the towel any time soon. This fiery motivation brought out the best in our players. In a spectacular display of individual prowess, Antony Raharja made two free throws and even sank a shot from outside the 3-point arc. The boys attempted to leverage on this late surge, scoring a total of 10 points but were unfortunately unable to catch up to the AJC team, which stuck to its offensive gameplan. The third quarter closed with 36-21 as the final score.
Antony Raharja (RI) trying to start yet another attack
The deficit might have seemed nearly insurmountable, but neither our team nor the supporters gave anything less than our all. In the 3rd minute of the last quarter, Yao Zhong was the victim of a heavy tackle from an AJ player after contesting for a loose ball. He crumpled to the court and struggled to get up, clearly winded by the sliding challenge. In true Rafflesian spirit, he managed to get back up and fight on, spurring our team onward. In a display of grit, tenacity and ability, the boys succeeded in battling back and quickly narrowed the gap to 7 points. However, the AJC side managed to hold firm, maintaining their slim lead over RI. Undaunted, the team pressed on and again tapered the gap to a razor-thin margin of 5 points. In the end, though, our comeback was not to be. The whistle blew with a final scoreline of 44 – 37.
Though we lost the match, both players and supporters left the venue with their heads held high, knowing full well that they had tried their best and given their all for RI.
Antony attempting to deceive AJ’s defenders
Raffles Press would like to congratulate the guys’ Basketball team for an intense and well-fought match, and would also like to wish them all the best for next year’s season.
By Beverly Goh (14S03F) , Carol Yuen (14A01A) and Yu Xin (14S06L)
The Hockey Boys’ Team posing for a team photo with their first runners’ up medals
Having won 2-1 in last year’s finals against Victoria Junior College, the RI Hockey boys’ team set out to defend its title last Thursday. RI’s endeavour looked promising since the team had triumphed over VJ in a friendly match earlier this year.
VJ asserted their dominance as soon as the match began, bearing down on the RI team with relentless focus. Fortunately, our boys replied in turn, not succumbing to the intimidating challenge. As Jesse Hoo, captain of the team, commented, “We fought them like champions, united as one, fighting for the same vision we had been dreaming of for the past 5 years.”
RI had its opponents under control for most of the game. The players attacked and defended as though they had a full team even when they were three men down in the second half, a result of harsh decisions made by the referees. Three of their key players were sent off within a span of two minutes for minor infractions, whereas the opponent seemed to get away lightly with their fouls.
Venu scored a goal in the first half, to the delight of his teammates and us supporters. However, the referee disallowed a second goal because of obstruction of the first runner by RI players, bewildering spectators who thought RI was 2-0 up. Jesse lamented after the match that this decision came without sufficient explanation and a chance to demand for one.
Cheers from the Victorian crowd were overwhelmingly thunderous compared to the relatively passive Rafflesians due to a significant difference in numbers, but the hockey boys remained intensely focused on the match. While VJ had a reputation for strong short corners, converting almost all of them into goals in previous matches, the RI side valiantly fought back all their attempts and kept the scoreline clear. Even as frustration was building up on the VJ side, a lucky break for them led to RI conceding a goal in the last two minutes of the match.
With the score tied at 1-1, the game went into extra time. The exhaustion experienced by the players was evident as they made use of every rest opportunity to stretch. Several players had to rely on team members to relieve the cramps in their calves even while the game was ongoing. Tired as they were, they pressed on and performed to the best of their abilities.
Disappointed but not discouraged, they fought back and the score remained even for the entirety of the extra time. The game ended and it was down to the shootout, something they were unprepared for and did not expect. In the shootout, Venu and Benjamin managed to flick the ball into the goalpost and Hakeem, the goalkeeper, successfully denied one of the flicks from the VJ side. However, this was not enough to claim back the golden trophy as players from the VJ side strategically aimed the flicks right above the keeper, while two RI players made mistakes and failed to convert the flicks into goals.
With two misses by RI, the VJ team knew they had won, immediately rushing to hug and celebrate with each other. VJ supporters from the stands sprinted onto the pitch to join in the celebrations. It was a solemn moment for Raffles, as we, students, teachers, councillors, cheerleaders, all stood sharing the pain of the disappointed players on the field. For a long time, we did not budge. Eventually, we slowly made their way onto the pitch to console the team and show our support. Even as we sung our Institution anthem, we knew that nothing would make up for the deep anguish they felt.
A bitter loss for Raffles Hockey.
The hockey girls, who did not pass the second stage and reach the semi-finals this year, were ardently supporting the guys in the match and sharing the pain of their loss. Despite the result, they were extremely proud of the boys because they knew that the game was theirs and they tried their best. “Even when the odds were against them, they continued to play as a team and we feel that that is all that matters. Well done boys, you guys were inspiring.”
Ask any sportsman, and he’ll tell you that losing is something all athletes have to deal with at some point in their career. Though we may have lost the match, Raffles Press would like to congratulate Raffles Hockey for their fine display of teamwork and tenacity, as well as wishing them all the best in reclaiming the title next year.
Raffles Press, along with the rest of the RI community, wishes Hockey the best of luck in their competition next year
by Alison Olivia Lewis (14S03S), with additional reporting by Muhammad Garda Ramadhito (14S05B)
Photos by: Wang Ziren and Edwin Chow (Photographic Society)
Widely regarded as one of the most prominent events on the ARTSeason Calendar, Raffles Jazz’s concert “Like A Boss” certainly lived up to the hype surrounding it. Hosting a fully packed crowd to the point many were forced to sit on the steps, Raffles Jazz opened the show with the curtains closed, a string of sweet, lone notes trailing behind them. As the curtains parted, Raffles Jazz’s first band opened the show with the upbeat “Spain”, setting a relaxed atmosphere that would last the rest of the night.
After the opening song, the emcees, Andrew Chia and Victoria Yeo, stepped out to formally welcome the audience. Decked out in well-coordinated outfits, the emcees further lightened the mood with their cheerfulness and lame (and sometimes painful) puns, which only promised a chill, laid-back evening.
The concert segment displayed the incredible talents of the Raffles Jazz members, performing passionate and expressive renditions of songs such as “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, written by Cole Porter and became a signature Frank Sinatra song, and “The Chicken”, originally made famous by Jaco Pastorius. Most of the songs also featured solos by each instrumentalist, their abilities on stage also matching their enthusiasm. Many of the performers clearly held those sharing the stage with them in high regard – saxophonist Andrew Chia commented of how anxious he was “playing beside a great trumpeter (Quek Qian Yi)”, and how “pressurizing (it was) to play at her standard.” Despite the nerves, it was clear every performer had a unique ability that provided an added edge to each performance, with the various instruments complementing each other in perfect harmony.
However, the highlight of the show’s initial segment was its finale, a cover of “Virtual Insanity”, originally by Jamiroquai. Lead singer Brillia was, simply put, brilliant – her bright voice coupled with her cheeriness and powerful stage presence lit up the stage. The complementing instrumentals further enhanced the performance. For example, the violin and viola brought depth and character to the piece, while the keyboard added a modern touch to a song now 17 years old. Raffles Jazz’s rendition of this funky tune was well received, and was indeed a great end to the first half of the evening.
Traditionally, Raffles Jazz has always “jazzed up” a usually standard concert format with a ‘musical’ segment featuring scripted staging and acting, and Like A Boss was no different. After a fifteen minute intermission, as Raffles Jazz returned to kick off their with a song entitled “Zoot Suit Riot”, they emerged onto the stage in masks and bearing guns, only to be “shot down” by the end, quite literally starting this segment with a bang. Featuring a witty script coupled with more cringe-worthy puns, this stray off the usual concert course proved to be a pleasant surprise, the highlight being the effeminate boss of the main character’s rival agency Hunter Skywalker, portrayed by Lin Qi, who not only stood out with his convincing display, but also brought much laughter to the crowd.
The finale piece, For Once In My Life, featured various characters getting together with their love interests from the musical, including main characters Jack and Jill Doe, who performed a short Broadway-style dance. Though clichéd, the “happily ever after” fairy tale ending never gets old and got the approval of the audience, who cheered for the rather cute (yet sadly fictional) couples.
Despite being a tradition, opting to go with a musical raised several eyebrows, including some from its own members. Lin Qi mentions, “I was uncertain of how it was going to go and how we would manage the technical challenges involved, and as much as it is a short visual show itself, the music is a large part of it – so I didn’t know how we would do it.” One of the other key challenges which came up during the rehearsal process was balancing acting and playing music. This was worked around by the organisation of the concert – Andrew tells us that “those who had major acting roles had few (1-2) songs, while those who didn’t got a few more tunes (3-4).” Beyond that, it also came down to the sheer hard work of the actors, as Lin Qi adds, “We tried hard for all the aspects of our performance. Acting a role just means that you have to put in time to learn your lines and know what to show people. We worked at it from rehearsal to rehearsal, and it’s just a bit of extra effort that you put in alongside playing music, which is the main thing.”
Not forgetting the people who worked so hard behind-the scenes, Raffles Jazz ended the evening making sure to thank everyone who played a role in their performance, most notably teacher-in-charge Ms Jina Foo. When spoken to about how she viewed the experience as a whole, she mentions how she finds working with the Jazz musicians a joy. “They are humble and willing to improve,” praised Ms. Foo, who willingly stayed back almost every day to let the musicians practise until perfection is achieved. “I look forward to work with them again for future concerts”, she declared, hopefully a sign of more to come.
After the lights dimmed, the audience clearly couldn’t get enough of the catchy jazz tunes as they chanted for an encore. After some time, Jazz members returned to the stage to perform September by Earth, Wind and Fire, while the other non-performing members danced along to a performance that summed up the sheer quality and talent on offer for the night.
Unbelievably, some of the performers on stage that night had little experience performing on stage. Pianist Jennifer Ho admitted that she was very nervous before the concert, as this was the first time she had played music and acted in front of a live audience for quite a while. Likewise, drummer Timothy Tan found the experience incredibly rewarding, adding that while “the rehearsal process was really sapping and trying at times, I had a lot of fun preparing with my CCA mates”. Incredibly, some of the performers were playing parts outside of their comfort zone – when we spoke with her, Jennifer also humbly admitted, “I am not very classically trained like the typical pianist. I stopped attending piano lessons once I had my Grade 5 exam.” That said, any deficiency went well unnoticed, the top-notch performances still full of emotion and stunning quality.
Looking ahead, many of the performers on stage were Year 5s, and their ability to match up with their experienced seniors promises an even better show next year. On the whole, Like A Boss was a great showing from Raffles Jazz, and certainly entertained all in the audience who wished to unwind after a hectic week at school. Like A Boss was definitely worth catching, and certainly was a highlight of ARTSeason 2013 thus far.
You can watch Raffles Jazz’s performance of “Virtual Insanity” here:
Setlist:
First half:
1. Spain
2. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
3. Girl from Ipanema
4. Nature Boy
5. Moanin’
6. Lullaby of Birdland
7. The Chicken
8. Virtual Insanity
Second half:
1. Zoot Suit Riot
2. Close to You
3. Cold Cold Heart
4. Power Rangers
5. For Once in My Life
By Gao Wenxin (14A03A) and Nguyen Trung Huan (14S05A) Photos by Mathew Gan (14A01C)
If one went into Highly Strung 2 expecting it to be an ordinary concert, he would have immediately dispelled that belief the moment he stepped into TheatreWorks 72-13 last Friday night. Notably hosted in an atypical stripped-down venue very different from a conventional concert hall, members of the Raffles Chamber Ensemble performed two shows with the acclaimed T’ang Quartet, which showcased emerging Rafflesian talent alongside the seasoned musicians and their protégés, both private students and students of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.
TheatreWorks 72-13: a beautifully refreshing setting
Highly Strung 2 was presented in a highly unusual setting at 72-13, a warehouse converted into a makeshift stage for the performance. A light strip demarcated the the stage area, with blocks sporting the trademark ARTS SEASON 2013 tape and sparsely scattered chairs replacing the typical concert grand stand. In fact, after overcoming their initial surprise, much of the school crowd chose to sit on the floor, themselves participating in the artistic experience by ‘interpreting the space’ as they scattered themselves in knots, selecting their preferred angle of view. All musicians were visible throughout the performance, entering and exiting with seamless informality from a visible holding area, demarcated only by more Art Season tape.
In the absence of a distant raised platform or backstage area to separate performers from audience, the arrangement offered a real sense of intimacy, which was enhanced by the smart casual pastel colours of the musicians’ untraditional performance attire. Furthering the sense of immediacy was the absence of emcees and programme notes, which kept the audience intrigued and obliged to meet the series of musical offerings on their own terms throughout. The ensemble for each piece was regularly rotated and kept small, in keeping with the intimate venue and the convention of a traditional chamber ensemble – although many offerings were subtle and innovative, at times almost atonal, and far from traditional.
The programme opened with two extracts from Carl Nielsen’s well-known Little Suite, starting slow with the Praeludium, before moving on to the Finale, where earlier themes were revisited at a higher tempo, as the piece soared to a synchronic climax.
Next came Peter Warlock’s Capriol Suite, played out of the usual order, with the second movement Pavane placed first and – a pleasant surprise – serving as a fitting introduction to the rhythmic Basse-Danse (normally the first movement). There was a sense of movement in the music throughout, and of liveliness and spirit in the Basse-Dance especially, which was quite in keeping with the origins and intentions of a dance suite.
Fantasia on a phrase by Monteverdi
There followed the truly unique Fantasia on a phrase by Monteverdi. This is not a piece by the famous Claudio Monteverdi, but a contemporary work by Tomas Friberg, a wildly cinematic score, presented by a row of 8 instrumentalists. The symmetry seen on stage was juxtaposed with the almost discordant score to create a sense of discomfort. The piece seemed to bounce from one instrument to another, at times swelling in volume, at times dissolving into near silence, as the musicians subtly hovered around semitone intervals, which somehow managed to wander hypnotically and disturbingly without losing a thread of central melody.
The Fantasia served as introduction to a further series of innovative modern offerings, beginning with the bright and sprightly Le diverti se ment by Jean-Philippe Goude. The title is perhaps a pun on the French term divertissement, or a light piece of music often played for entertainment, and suggests ‘the entertainment lies’ or ‘the entertainment lies about itself’, without actually forming a properly grammatical sentence. The energy put into this piece was truly infectious, and not at all dissipated by the closing cheeky pizzicato note. It was taken up in Maurizio Bignone’s Il mistero di cossyra, the next offering, which alternated unison passages with solos in a musical car-chase of high drama.
T’ang Quartet
A string of quartets followed, including Passamezzo, Arvo Pärt’s Summa, and Schnittke’s Polka. The first was a melodious treat, a series of comfortable mid-range notes embracing the audience warmly, before the Polka raised the pace and pitch. In contrast, Summa was a classic showcase of Arvo Pärt’s minimalist style, rocking between different harmonies, steady and meditative.
Gopak by Modest Mussorgsky was the finale of the night, bringing all the Raffles players onstage, playing scoreless and with zest, ending the night on a joyous and triumphant note.
Gopak
As a whole, the concert featured a varied repertoire, not only exploring contemporary works but also giving a modern twist to the traditional close-knit affair of chamber music. Although the audience may have been initially slow to respond to the unfamiliar setting and the experimental nature of some works, the event surely turned out to be a musical education for all.
After the concert we spoke to members of the T’ang Quartet, Mr Leslie Tan (cello) and Mr Lionel Tan (viola), both alumni of RI. Lionel agreed that “the pieces are designed and programmed in an unconventional setting and with an unconventional rethinking of the concert programme flow.” But he expressed that the selection of pieces was felt to have the potential to appeal to a young target audience.
Lionel explained that Highly Strung II was part of The Ensemble Dimension Project, which aims to “harness the power of youth” and develop talented young players. It arose when the T’ang Quartet was approached by the RI Aesthetics Department to work with the Chamber Ensemble, a first for the Quartet, who had previously involved young students in Highly Strung I, but had never before undertaken a full scale collaboration with a school ensemble. T’ang actually hesitated to agree to the project at first, until after they held auditions at RI. At this point, they were duly impressed and, as Lionel put it, thought “Ok, this is the kind of talent we’re looking for!”.
Curtain call
The final verdict? “This is our second installment of the Highly Strung concert series, and we’re very happy to have done it and hope that RI is equally happy with it. We hope the kids have really learnt something! I think the students have progressed a lot and even the most shy ones have opened up. I’m very pleased with the show.”
Mr Leslie Tan, the cellist, draws much of the concert-goer’s attention with his signature long hair and stage presence. Besides which, how can anyone fail to be impressed by an artiste who goes about with a cello stashed in the back of his means of transportation – a pastel pink vintage school-bus! One could be intimidated approaching such a figure, but we were struck with Leslie’s friendliness when he greeted us. With a light-hearted laugh, he exclaimed, “Hey, please don’t call me Sir. You’re making me feel so old!”
In our informal interview, Leslie shared his passion for Singapore’s classical music scene. The main reason for the quartet members’ decisions to return to Singapore after graduation was that they “realised that there was just too much to be done” in the local arts scene for them to be content to stay overseas and miss out on contributing. Sighed Leslie, “Over the years, I have met many talented students. But by the time they reach O-Level or A-Level, they stop practising as they decide to pursue higher earning careers like medicine or law.”
The future of classical music in Singapore, Leslie feels, will depend on a change of “mindset”. The social pressure creates too much of an overwhelming force that magnifies and exaggerates the value of “conventional dreams” and of holding high-paid office jobs. His ambition is to plant the idea of forgoing such prosaic “dreams” and encourage some to be brave enough to follow in the footsteps of T’ang’s now highly successful musical career. Leslie told us that, on hearing about T’ang’s first full scale collaboration with a school ensemble, his students from other schools such as ACSI or HCI asked, ‘Why didn’t you do this for us?” His response: “Because you never asked!”
By Jonathan Tan (13A01C) and Regina Marie Lee (13A01B)
Additional Reporting by Mr Caleb Liu
Having narrowly lost to Victoria Junior College in the semi-finals the previous week, our soccer girls took to Jalan Besar stadium on Thursday, determined to win their 3rd/4th placing match against Meridian Junior College. “We came in knowing we needed to beat MJ and end the season on a high note,” said Choo Yunting.
The team was confident heading to the match: “Our plan was to play the usual game,” admitted captain Heng Suyun. “After having played the strongest team VJ before this game, we came into this knowing we could do it.”
Team huddle before the match
Still, the game started off cagily with both teams reluctant to commit players forward and keeping the majority of players behind the ball. Neither side could control possession for significant stretches with kick and chase tactics being used to try and open up the opposing side, resulting in a rather scrappy opening ten minutes.
When Raffles did manage to go forward, the majority of our attacks came down the left flank where winger Koo Hui Fen stood out with her good close control and ability to get past her marker. It thus came as no surprise that the best chance of the half came from that route. After some neat interplay down the left flank, Hui Fen managed to get to the bye-line and beat her marker, playing a teasing ball low across the face of the goal from the left edge of the penalty area. With the crowd rising in anticipation, the cross just barely eluded her two waiting teammates who were looking to apply the finishing touch. The Meridian defence gratefully cleared the ball, ending the danger.
Koo Hui Fen showing good close control
Still, Raffles continued to press on. Midfield dynamo, Liza Tay, in particular, was strong in the tackle, harassing the Meridian players into conceding possession. Her ability to win possession was often a springboard for the Raffles team to surge forward, and led to a few half chances. One of the best came when she won possession on the right, and spotted striker Emiline Elangovan darting into the box. She played a precise through ball, but a heavy first touch from Emiline allowed the Meridian defence time to recover.
Overall, Raffles had the better of the first half with arguably the two best chances, although they didn’t manage a shot on target. Meridian found themselves increasingly pegged back and were limited to two pot shots from well outside the box, which were comfortably dealt with by goalkeeper Chiew Wenqi. Much of the credit for that must fall to a solid Raffles defence, who with the support of their midfield, were able to close down space effectively. Suyun explained, “Our plan was not to panic, hold our ground, and wait for them to come to us. When they (Meridian) were still fit at the start, they could attack us. Hence, we ensured our defence was solid.”
Goalkeeper Chiew Wenqi collects the ball as her defenders look on gratefully
The second half saw a tactical change by the Raffles team as they brought on Jane Ong on the right. Jane had been kept out of the starting line-up due to a knee injury and her introduction clearly made a difference, with Raffles starting to show more attacking intent. A track and field athlete, she was able to use her pace to good effect, and was noticeably the fastest player on the pitch, despite her injury. The Meridian defence, and the left back in particular, found it increasingly impossible to cope with Jane’s surging runs and ability to drive to the bye-line. Within a few minutes of the restart, the left back was pressured into giving away possession to Jane in a dangerous area, and Meridian was lucky to escape when Jane just failed to find a teammate in the box.
Emiline sprinting towards the goal
As the match wore on Raffles increasingly came to dominate possession with Meridian largely pegged back in their own half. They were able to put balls forward for their wingers to chase, and Liza was able to make a few good probing runs at the Meridian defence from midfield. Where Meridian did manage to clear the ball, it inevitably fell back to a player from the Raffles team, in particular Suyun, who was effective in a midfield anchor role. On a few occasions, crosses from the flanks or Liza’s mazy runs down the middle yielded half-chances, but Raffles’ attack found themselves up against a stubborn Meridian defence which successfully prevented the Raffles players from getting their shots away. It was frustrating for the players, even as they continued to put the Meridian defence under increasing pressure.
Jane confronts the tough Meridian defence as she takes a free kick
Then came the moment that everyone thought would win the game for Raffles. After good movement down the right, Emiline was able to brilliantly turn her marker and cut the ball back towards the penalty spot. Liza was perfectly placed and struck the ball sweetly, only to see it cannon downward off the crossbar and into the grateful grasp of the Meridian goalkeeper.
Tiredness was visibly getting the better of the players and the match began to peter out, with Meridian conceding possession far too cheaply in their own half. The Meridian striker cut a lonely figure as the rest of her team packed the defence, with up to seven players in their own box. Raffles resorted to trying their luck from distance, with Jane and Liza taking shots from 20 yards without really troubling the keeper. The final whistle saw both teams deadlocked at 0-0 despite Rafflesian dominance.
Meridian came out flying at the start of extra time, showing renewed attacking intent. After largely being on the defensive, they managed to break down the left flank before center-back Shayna Kam made a last-ditch tackle to snuff out the danger. With tiredness affecting both teams, the game become more open and Raffles responded with a break down the left of our own. Hui Fen made a purposeful run down the left, making a neat turn to leave her defender trailing. Ghosting past another defender, she dribbled into a dangerous area, but the Meridian defenders successfully managed to nullify the threat.
Then came the defining moment of the game. With the end of the first period of extra time in sight, Liza picked up a loose ball in midfield, jinked past three defenders on the right and drove in a low cross that fell to Emiline in the box. Unable to turn or get a shot away, she laid the ball off to Hui Fen who found Jane, in space, at the right edge of the penalty area. Jane took one touch to control the ball before sending it curling towards the goal, where it flew over the despairing dive of the Meridian goalkeeper and nestled in the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Jane fell to the ground, her arms raised in both ecstasy and relief, and was soon mobbed by her teammates.
the winning strike
Later, Jane told us, “I’m really surprised it went in. I was really glad, but I didn’t expect it, because I’ve just come back from an injury and am very unfit.” But nothing less was expected from the team: “I was very relieved when the goal came, but I knew it was coming, I believed that someone would score the goal,” said Suyun.
From then on, Meridian was playing catch-up and much of the exchanges were scrappy. Raffles, playing with ever greater confidence, had a chance to put the game away, when Liza played an excellent through ball to Jane, but her shot lacked enough power to trouble the keeper. They were almost made to pay when a rare defensive lapse led to a Meridian breakaway and a clearance from Shayna fell kindly to the Meridian striker. Thankfully, the Raffles keeper, Wenqi was alert to the attempt to chip her.
There was to be no other moments of high drama, with Raffles showing good discipline and teamwork until tension was finally relieved by the final whistle. The team fully deserved the victory, after a well-organized, astute and dominant performance. It was a solid team performance with everyone working hard for each other. They had a clear game plan to first soak up the pressure and then attack, and this was carried out very effectively. “They played well”, commented Mr Man, their coach, “the defence played well, but for us today, attack was the best form of defence”. I am sure the exhausted Meridian team would agree.
The soccer girls with teachers Mr Leong Chee Mun, Mr Man and Ms Jo Chan
