Day 3 Unigames

Well its been another roaring day at unigames. High winds dominated most of the day, draining the moisture right out of the players as they took to the fields.

This day has seen the completion of almost all pool play and there have been some exciting matches.

This is a list of games that I got to see.

8:30am
Flinders University (SA) vs Melb

UWA vs Mac

10:30am
Mac vs Monash

12:30pm
ANU vs QUT

2:30pm
Mon vs Newwie

I started the day at the FU vs Melb game. The wind meant that both teams were showing off their zone defences. Melbourne started the game with the downwind pull. After trading turns for a few minutes, Melbourne makes a critical turn near their endzone and FU capitalise for an easy upwind score.

Now it was FU's turn for the downwind pull and zone. Meehan and Friese handler upwind for Melbourne but without their play makers in upfield positions Melb. struggle to make ground. FU soon scores after a couple of turns. FU then have the upwind pull and Melb don't take long to huck downwind for a non-completion. Number 18 throws to Joel Pillar for a score. 3-0 to FU

FU use a combination of huck and hope and working it up during the game and Melb struggles to shut down Erin Wallis, Joel Pillar, Alec Deslandes and Alison Clarke.

The next point has a hilarious moment. Alec Deslandes is marking up as the deep in the FU zone, defending against a Melbourne team eager to not let a turnover occur near their upwind endzone. Melbourne let fly a disc downfield and there is a contest. Alec gets to the disc first, macking it towards the sideline. His relaxation at getting the D vanishes as the disc continues to wobble upward and not to the ground. Before anyone else can react he quickly hits the disc again towards the sideline. The disc bobbles up a little more and out of the field.....before Meehan from Melbourne starts running towards the sideline.... and it drops back towards the field of play and just inbounds where Meehan continues play. Great to watch!

Hilarity aside, FU pound Melbourne and I leave at 6-0 to watch UWA on Macquarie

I arrive at 4-1 to UWA

To my surprise, Neil is playing and despite a tender knee seems otherwise full of beans and smashing the box. Unfortunately his team was not full of beans and smashing up anything.

I begin to watch for what is a mammmoth point. UWA is working it upwind, turning it 0-15 metres from the endzone and seeing Mac fumble or huck the disc back to them. The point sees Twiggy and Eels taking centre stage for the UWA kids, with point blocks, long strikes, intercepts and layout catches coming out of their ears. Another hilarious product of the wind is #16 on UWA throwing the disc hard at two metre range, having it bounce up and off the chest of the UWA target and then recatching the disc to play on. After an epic sequence of play, UWA score after streaking up the far (left) sideline, Twiggy to #16. UWA 5-1.

Mac finally get back in gear and score a relatively easy upwinder to make it 5-2 but their deep #3 from the states misses an easy aerial block which falls into the hands of a UWA player in the endzone for 6-2. At this point I got a score update and it was 9-4 to Newcastle over Deakin and 11-2 to FU over Melbourne. UWA pull downwind and zone, with Mac turning on their endzone line. UWA calls for a iso on Thorn (Twiggy) and Eley hits another player with a floaty high release backhand that misses its target, should have been blocked by the misjumping #3 from Mac and then drops into the hands of a UWA female receiver. 7-2 to UWA.

Mac rally and manage to barfight their score to 7-4 at time cap and then score the next point to make it game to eight. I get set for another tight finish to a game and then....Mac concede the game. They just refuse to play and let UWA win by two. I am confused and dubious but leave to eat food. I hear that USYD crush AU 14-5.

I then watched mac vs monash. Mac rallied from their defeat against UWA and worked well in another up/downwind game. Monash were less successful and Mac maintained a short lead for the majority of the game. Time cap went and Monash once again had to make up lost ground, albeit only one point. I'll just take a moment to remind everyone that Newcastle are truly amazing and I thank them every morning I wake for providing me with hot chips. Monash scored and brought the game to another double game point. Both of these teams had played a double game point match already this tournament and I was keen to find out who was going to drag themselves over the line in this match. Monash had to pull upwind in the last point. Mac worked it hard for a few passes but then a Tiger pass went wide of Neil and the Monash kids went for the kill, rapidly moving the disc before the Macquarie team could set their defence. Monash moved up to within 10 metres of the endzone line and their flow slowed as they probed the mac defence for an opening. It did not take long for them to take their shot, with Moz bombing a leftie flick blade to Sebbo to clinch the game. 10-9 to Monash.

In the 12:30 time slot, I watched the first part of the ANU versus QUT game. QUT had no experienced players and the windy conditions meant that the game soon took on a predictable rhythm, with ANU working the disc cross the field, taking a little bit of ground here and there, with the occasional turnover, QUT having the disc for 30 seconds and then ANU resuming their tap tap tapping around the field for endzone goodness. I left at 6-nil and returned to a 15-2 score line.

The 2:30pm saw Newcastle and Monash play off for the top of their pool. There was windy and tense mood over the field as the teams warmed up, like to. The Jonas' boys were swinging their legs in perfect harmony and I was mesmerised. Before I knew it, the game was on with Newwie pulling upwind to start the game. Newwie plays zone but there is some miscommunication and the don't have a deep. Monash capitalise with a low throw. However before they can work the disc into the endzone, JJ scrambles and manages an intercept. Newwie work it upwind but Ellie drops and Monash jump on the disc and O Shep scores to Sebbo.

The next few points continue much the same, with Monash pulling away to 5-1 before Newwie score again. Newwie go on little run to catch up to 5-4, including a Ellie snaffle D and score upwind. Monash continue to hit #21 long with mixed results. The game winds on with Monash and Newwie trading. The wind dies down and timecap is reached... Newwie score off a Monash error to make the game 9-8, game to ten. Yes, thats right, Monash in another close game.

Newwie zones and Monash struggle. Teagan crashes the Moz and Sebbo party with a intercept. Chris Boy promptly throws the disc away but after some dinky about gets the disc back. Newwie works the disc up and Chris (Chilly) Hill scores to Liz. Double game point.

Now at this stage Monash has two double game points under their belt and you'd have to say they were still ready for more. However Moz is not called on to the last line and I write "No Moz = Newwie will win" Newwie pull and Joshie and O Shep combine for a first pass turnover on the endzone line, the second Joshie has been involved in. As we like to say here at the Canberra Ultimate Blog, Joshie was 'turning on a dime' this tournament. Newwie seem set to take the game but cannot do the deal and after three macks in the endzone, Monash get the disc back. Injury is called and Moz comes on for Monash. Suddenly the truth of my prediction gains more power and Monash seem unstoppable as they march down the field and Mish catches the winning goal! Crazy times.

Power Pool one
1 USyd
2 FU
3 AU
4 Melb
5 La Trobe
6 Bal

Power Pool two
1 Monash
2 Newwie
3 Mac
4 UWA
5 Mur
6 Deakin

Quarter final matchups

USyd on UWA, praying mantis on sagely monkey style
Monash on Melb
AU on Newwie
Mac on FU

UWA have to have the best chance to upset out of those quarter.

Tomorrow I hope to actually catch up and post about the quarter final matches.

If you didn't know already USyd and Flinders University will play off for the gold!