blues vs Anglia ruskin (70-58)

Jess hunt sets a sreen for Mie Monti

​Another important win for Cambridge, this time against Loughborough 2nds (48-44). Cristina Gomez with her usual report plus link to Devrashi Lodhia's piece on Varsity.

By Cristina Gómez
After a tough Varsity loss on Sunday, the Cambridge women came back strong with a solid 70-58 win over Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). This game saw Jess Hunt beat her personal best with 20 points in the game, dominating in the post position.

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Although the start of the match saw Cambridge start well on the offensive court with 20 points (10 by Hunt), the Blues allowed ARU to score 17 in the first quarter. The rivals took advantage of the hosts' slow defence and punished them in the second quarter with a 12-17 partial, going into half-time with a 2 point lead.

In the third quarter, field shot accuracy was not up to usual standards and it took a monumental effort for the Blues to narrow the distance to 1 point at the end of the period. However, there was a notable change in the game as Cambridge began to move better the ball, which resulted in all players on the court adding to the team's score. Thus, despite still being behind, the Blues were finally beginning to play their game.

In the final quarter, the Cambridge women found their stride and established a definitive superiority over their rivals. Outstanding defence by Becky Illingworth neutralised ARU's most prolific player and helped keep the visitors to only 6 points in the quarter. Meanwhile, on the offensive end, Mie Monti showed off her mid-range shot whilst Léonie de Jonge overpowered her deffender on the post. Paloma Navarro's fast break, Illingworth's drives and Jess Hunt's off the rebound clean ups firmly sealed the game in the Blues' favour.

Despite the slow start, Cambridge were able to take this important win, and are now back in the conversation to finish third in the Midlands 1A BUCS League. With only 3 games left this season, it is essential that the team wins every encounter.

Location: Cambridge University Sports Centre
Final Score: 70-58 (Cambridge)
The Blues' Top Scorers: Jess Hunt (20), Léonie de Jonge (16), Becky Illingworth (11), Paloma Navarro (9), Mie Monti (8)
Overall Free-Throw Accuracy: 78%