Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Famous and Feared

*This post is written by fellow (FH)2 player, Kew Pei Li, on her personal experience in the 3-on-3 Floorball Challenge.

Seven goals and I'm in seventh heaven. Then trust one giant Hailstorm to bring me right back down to earth.

When I first heard about the draw, I envied Blast for getting the easy pick. Win twice and go straight to the final, no frills about it. Our draw couldn't get that much worse, our first two games (should things go according to plan, which they did) against the two toughest teams: Innebandy North and Hailstorm (USM).

Then I realized that, really, it's the same the other way round.

Nerves made the first match seem like a walkover, InneNorth condescendingly letting us run over them, 4-0. Even, at one point, with one (wo)man down. Mixed up netball (been playing it a lot) with floorball, and thought 3m was 3ft, so when the ref blew the whistle I just stood there, my jaw hanging open until the others hurried me out.

We all knew Hailstorm would be tougher, especially after their 5-0 thumping of F/liners Guppies. And boy, oh boy, they were. Went down twice, but we hit back each time through penalties (Felicia, from Hailstorm, showing wonderful goalie instincts and giving away two penalties), we held out for the shootout.

I know I missed my second penalty. I also know I wasted my time, praying that Sarah Ng of Hailstorm would miss hers, cause she could take a hundred and score every one of them.

Forget about them, for the moment. We had Innebandy South coming up. This was the game I enjoyed most, being able to run around and control the ball without someone like Sarah to harass me. 4-0, to us.

Blast, having lost their previous game to Hailstorm (rumours were heard about a USM conspiracy... with Hailstorm losing to Blast so that both the teams could meet each other in the final and get a one-two for USM), scored first, a freak goal, but a few minutes later we got a penalty, and I stepped up and told Ros that it was mine to take. Won 3-1.

Another chance to make up for the earlier loss to Hailstorm. And it did seem like it, going ahead first through a goal by Ros, but us, tired and less rested than Hailstorm, who were unbeaten, lost focus quickly and let in three goals.

For me, it was Sarah who made the difference right then. Just like Youthwave. (My main ambition this year is to take her spot as top lady player in Penang, but it seems now like a long way from happening.) Everytime she came up, I was scared to the guts. I know I'm biased, but what can I say? She deserves it.

Not that I'm taking any credit away from the other Hailstorm-ers, they did real well. So did we.

There was a chance, right before the game ended, to pull one back, a clear penalty to me, but the ref didn't think so. I was stunned, and stood there a moment. I wanted that penalty, I wanted that goal.

Call it selfish ambition. (Coach would kill me for this, he's been having at me for being too selfish.) I wanted to add to my goal tally, I wanted to shut the USM supporters up for a while (I know I'm a crank. They were great, throughout the match, encouraging their team on, and yes, it did get to me.) Figure the refs have been very lenient on the ladies.

The world's not fair, live with it.

Cheers to Hailstorm, though. They deserved it. Silver is good, plus, it's only added to my desire for more glory. There's Youthwave in April, and I'll be working really hard, day in, day out.

Only in Youthwave, I want that gold.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

trust me Pei it's not going to be a very long way to that spot... you have youth on your side..haha..

Anonymous said...

you saying you're old.. yeah i know. high time someone took over that spot..

Anonymous said...

ooo. pei getting cocky ald. hehe. humility, humility. keep it you girl, we're all backing you. =)

Anonymous said...

ky has definitely got a point- humility,pei. you won't go anywhere without it. pride comes before a downfall...

~SN11~

Anonymous said...

Know it all too well, #11...
twice in a week? you seem pretty free...