Spartans G4: From the Depths of Defeat to the Heights of Victory

"...they will be like wounded beasts, so watch out!"

Not wounded enough, seemingly. That Tuesday night, UniHawks looked hungrier, sharper and fresher than Spartans. Determined not to let history repeat itself, Spartans staged a second-half fightback and clawed their way back to regain the ever-so-slight upper hand, thus ensuring at least a bronze, come the final day.

But how UniHawks made them sweat blood for it.

It was UniHawks, the home team, who took the initiative from the start-- making runs all over and exchanging the ball with supreme confidence, so it was no wonder that they took the lead early on. A soft goal to concede, one that doubtless would irritate Coach Kuan Yang after having practiced so many freehit situations in training.

This was also UniHawks' very first goal in the league this year.

And yet Spartans could not raise their game to match the flying Hawks. A second goal soon followed, an instinctive backhand stroke by Sarah, her second of the game and the year. And not long after, a third by Rish, during a power play situation.

No one there could believe what they were seeing-- and now Spartans knew how Innebandy must have felt in the game before.

The breakthrough for Spartans finally came through Kenny, minutes before the whistle for half-time sounded. It was a well-timed and badly needed goal and gave the match a whole different complexion. The momentum now with Spartans, Kuan Yang quickly scored a trademark second, and it looked like it would be all downhill from then on.

Yet it was UniHawks, again, who forced the opening in the second half, scoring a well-deserved and well-taken goal against a Spartan side that were slow to start their engines.

Again.

With more urgency than ever, Kuan Yang tweaked the lines slightly to give the team a more attacking edge, and this approach paid off.

Slowly but surely, Spartans took control of the game, living off a scare or two (one especially when Sarah blazed over after a one-on-one) and in the end, snatched a victory from the depths of defeat.

In true Spartans style.

*Due to short-term memory losses from both sides, some information might be inaccurate. Sorry.*