There was mixed fortunes for Cambridge University’s two ice hockey teams during last week’s Varsity Matches against Oxford, writes Darren Paul.
While the men’s side enjoyed supremacy over their rivals at a sold- out Cambridge Ice Arena, their female club-mates suffered a defeat.
The men’s contest was a full-blooded affair that Cambridge dominated for large parts on their way to a 5-2 triumph.
Scott Partington’s opening goal for the home team was cancelled out early in the second period, but parity lasted just 20 seconds as Cambridge’s defenseman and game-MVP Jack Murphy scored the first of his three goals with a perfectly-placed shot from the blueline.
Cambridge captain Ivan Grega made it a two-goal lead two minutes later as Marty Limback-Stokin notched his second assist of the day.
Visiting Oxford closed the gap again midway through the third period via a fine first-time effort from Christopher Parkinson, yet Murphy almost immediately restored the two-goal advantage after he had linked nicely with Grega to make it 4-2.
Murphy completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes to play, scoring on an unassisted effort, before Partington ended any hopes of an Oxford fightback late in the third period to retain the King Edward VII Cup.
Meanwhile, Cambridge opened up a two-goal lead in the women’s fixture courtesy of goals from Alicia Anderson and Julia Maybury.
However, the visitors responded with three unanswered goals, thanks largely to some inspired play from Suzanne Antelme.
She started the turnaround by scoring a fine solo goal before Gloria Lee tied the game up. Seconds later, Oxford were ahead as Antelme assisted Jessica Feng.
Cambridge equalised with 10 minutes left when Maybury scored a wrap-around effort but that would be as close as the hosts would get because a few minutes from time Katie Zhang was found in front of goal by Antelme to retain the Coyne Cup for Oxford, who ran out 4-3 victors.
