University of Cambridge Sport

ack. Cambridge went back in with a tight full court man press with guard Frances Bowen Day pressuring Oxford’s star point
guard brilliantly, forcing bad passes and steals which resulted in numerous fast break scores. Cambridge substituted every few
minutes to keep fast fresh legs on court, and the strategy paid off with Cambridge outscoring Oxford 25 – 14 in the 3rd
quarter. The 4th quarter was a flurry of activity with Cambridge continuing to pull the game back, but Point Guard Frieda
Mansfeld fouled out along with post players Emily Schwartz and Vanessa Waite, leaving Cambridge suddenly weakened and
Oxford began to take control again. The 82 – 68 final score was devastating to a Cambridge side that had performed so
strongly in the second half and had begun such an impressive comeback. Special note has to go to highest scorers Emily
Schwartz and Vicky Lister, who scored 19 points each and played great defence. MVP was shared between Emily and Lisa, with
both playing tireless and solid defence, Emily playing an impressively calm and controlled game and making a number of
rejections and steals, and Lisa hitting three 3-pointers under strong pressure, plus making all 7 of her free throws.
Winning the BUSA Final was a very fitting end to a fantastic season for CUWBbC. The girls have all put in a fantastic effort and
every player has contributed to that win, whether it was in the game itself, in the key games leading up to it, or in training. The
Season MVP award went to Vicky Lister for a fantastic and consistent season. A true all round player she is capable of both
dominant post play and bringing the ball up court as confidently as any guard, she averaged 22 points per game, scored over
50 points in a single game, battled on through injuries, and always gives 120% in games and training. The most improved
player over the season was Jurate Karciauskaite, who came into the team as a guard, but due to her relative height in the
squad was moved to the post position. As the season progressed her ability, understanding and confidence in the position grew
and she played a vital role in the one point victory over Kent in the BUSA semi final. The team as a whole improved steadily
over the season and we finished up with a healthy play book, a number of presses and a fit squad capable of running just as
hard in the fourth quarter as the first. The target for next season is to build individual skills over the break, maintain the same
squad as much as possible, and aim for a clean sweep of the League, Cup and Varsity.
Other Team Highlights
March 11th 2006, Sheffield
University of Cambridge 45 University of Cardiff 37
Having come second in the league with only two defeats, the Women’s Basketball team went through to the Trophy, where
they took on teams placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th from all over the country. In the knockout stages, Cambridge beat both Liverpool
and Kent universities. In the final they beat Cardiff.
Vanessa Waite was both MVP and top scorer in the final.
Individual Achievements/Representative Honours
Melanie Van Der Lam
Regional: Voorburg Basketball club since age 15
Promotion division: West of Holland, ‘Rayon West’ league (league under the national league) until aged 17. Won the national
championships
National: Under 21’s
Premier: Under 21’s
Vanessa Waite
District Rhondda rebels: Won the national championships
National: U16’s
Lisa Jeschke
Youth national level: Bavarian Championships, under-18’s and under 20’s
National level: first-national-league and second-national-league teams
Victoria Lister
National at Cadette Level.
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