Prep School
Hockey
U8 Festival at Millfield
The team put in a strong performance, beginning to play with real structure and shape while organising themselves well across the pitch. A fine display of defending from the back provided a solid foundation, with disciplined positioning and smart interceptions keeping the opposition at bay. In attack, they showed promising development in their strike on goal, creating chances with improved movement and link-up play. Throughout the matches, the team’s spirit and energy were evident, working tirelessly for each other and showing real progress in all areas. A performance full of positives to build on.
U8 v KCP
The match was a thrilling display of skill and teamwork, as the boys took to the pitch, they delivered a fantastic performance. From the first whistle, they showed determination, passing with precision and attacking with confidence. Their efforts paid off with a series of well-deserved goals, each met with cheers from the sidelines. The defence held strong, and the midfield worked tirelessly to keep the momentum going. With swift stick work and great teamwork, the team secured a brilliant result, showcasing their talent and passion for the game. A fantastic effort all around!
U11B v Wells & Perrott Hill
It was a dominant display from the winning team as they controlled the game from start to finish, showcasing impressive teamwork and sharp finishing. Their opponents put in a determined effort but found it difficult to break through a solid defence and create scoring opportunities. Despite the one-sided scoreline, both teams showed great sportsmanship, and the afternoon was filled with enthusiasm and fun for players and supporters alike.
U11C v Wells & Perrott Hill
One team hit their stride early, capitalising on their chances and building a strong lead, while the opposition battled hard but struggled to find the back of the net. The match was a great learning experience for all involved, with plenty of energy, effort, and encouragement from the sidelines. Regardless of the final score, the spirit of the game shone through, making for an enjoyable afternoon of hockey.
U10A v Wells
This was perhaps the best performance of the season so far by the U10A’s! Their accurate passing was a wonder to behold! As a result, the opposition were left reeling from the quick movement of the ball to players running into space and were unable to prevent some brilliant goals being scored by Queen’s.
U10B v St Peters, Taunton and Blundell’s
A fantastic festival of Hockey hosted by St Peters, saw Queen’s play against St Peters, Taunton school and Blundell’s. Each game saw us improve our play style, really buying into getting the ball in wide areas and driving down the wing, resulting in some of our best goals all season. The final game against Blundell’s truly was a spectacle with tough defending, good saves, fantastic attacking play and goals for both teams. All round a fantastic afternoon of Hockey.
Netball
U8 and U9 v King’s College
The week started with some great matches against King’s College. The U8 girls showed a significant improvement in their passing and movement down the court, demonstrating much quicker and more effective passing. They have also increased their confidence and accuracy when shooting and scored several fantastic goals! I have to also commend the girls on their brilliant sporting behaviour when playing both for Queen’s and for the opposition. The U9 also girls played brilliantly, with swift and effective passing. They also showed much better defensive recovery after turnovers. Excellent shooting from multiple players led to some really strong performances.
U10A and B and U11A,B,C v Wells Cathedral
On Wednesday Queen’s hosted Wells Cathedral. The U11C girls played a truly magnificent game. They demonstrated excellent teamwork in both attack and defence, passing the ball effectively down the court. Hannah received Coaches’ Player of the Match for her brilliant defending as goal-keeper and her quick thinking at Goal Attack. Yumi was named Wells’ Player.”
The U11A and B teams also displayed exceptional performances. They maintained a calm but dynamic approach throughout the whole match. They all played some fantastic netball and showed how much they have improved in their versatility across the positions. They also demonstrated some brilliant shooting. Well done, girls, today was a real testament to the significant progress you have made in netball this term.
Finally, the U10A and B teams had some tight matches. However, the U10A girls displayed significantly improved netball skills. They drove towards the ball effectively and began to maintain their court space more consistently. Continuing to avoid encroaching on teammates’ space remains a key focus, as does refining our set plays from the backline. The U10B also did well but needs to continue to work on the marking and distance when marking the ball.
Senior School
Hockey
2nd XI
A well-matched fixture with lots of attacking opportunities. Zac scored twice, and James had some well-worked opportunities. Jonny relieved pressure from the back, and Soshi had some real attacking threat through some speedy forward play. Queen’s pushed until the final play of the game for an equaliser, on this occasion, it did not come.
U15 Hockey v Exeter School
Queen’s U15s travelled to Exeter School for a highly competitive fixture, starting the match in impressive fashion despite the damp conditions. Moving the ball fluidly and showing excellent transition play from defence into midfield, Queen’s were unfortunate not to take an early lead after some well-worked attacking play. The breakthrough finally came when Ollie drove through midfield, breaking the defensive line before delivering a pinpoint pass into the danger area. A composed finish saw Queen’s take a well-deserved 1-0 lead into half-time. The focus at the break was on retaining possession and maintaining intensity against a strong Exeter side. However, fatigue set in early in the second half, allowing Exeter to capitalise on two quick counterattacks to overturn the scoreline. With the game hanging in the balance, Queen’s pushed forward in search of an equaliser, putting everything on the line. Unfortunately, Exeter struck twice again in quick succession, sealing a victory despite Queen’s determined efforts. A hard-fought contest with plenty of positives to take forward, particularly from the first-half display. The team will look to build on their strong start and work on maintaining intensity throughout the full match.
U14A v Exeter
The U14 boys travelled to Exeter today, looking to follow on from their improvement last week. They started the match well but were struggling to maintain their composure which had a negative effect on their structure and their connection as a team. Exeter were moving the ball around really well, and were clinical in the D. At half-time they spoke about playing the style of hockey that they can be proud of and not letting the other team get them down. In the second half this improved and the boys started playing much better as a team. They were able to score one goal and only concede one more in the second which which was a huge improvement from the first half. This group continues to learn and grow and will hopefully continue to gain a deeper understanding of the game.
U13A v Exeter
On Saturday, there was an exciting match between Queen’s and Exeter U13A’s. There were goals flying in during both halves of the fixture with teams evenly matched at halftime. Queen’s defended valiantly, Mo made the last of tackles in the D, and Henry made some great saves. Exeter had a big squad of players and cycled through their team with lots of fresh legs available. In the final 5 minutes Queen’s got forward several times and were pushing for an equaliser.
U13B v Exeter
The U13B team started brightly against their opponents from Exeter School on Saturday, making several entries into the opposition D. An early goal gave the team confidence but Exeter gradually got themselves back in the game. A couple of quick goals from Exeter and another after halftime led our boys’ heads to drop a little. Despite some late chances, the scored stayed at 3-1. The team attacked well but more effort in their defensive press will help to restrict their opponent’s opportunities to score.
U12B v Exeter
The U12B team had an exciting game against Exeter on Saturday and, despite not managing to secure a victory, should be proud of their efforts. Both teams were evenly matched and produced a thrilling game with play sweeping from one end to the other. The team made the Exeter defence work hard, peppering the goal with shots and even hitting the post with one effort! Their efforts were rewarded in the second half with a well-taken goal from Antonin. The team were also indebted to goalkeeper, Kouyo, who made some super saves to deny the Exeter attackers.
U13B v Perrott Hill
On Wednesday, Queen’s U13B team hosted Perrott Hill in a thrilling encounter that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. As hosts, Queen’s offered the pushback to Perrott, who started brightly, moving the ball well in the opening minutes. However, it was clear that Queen’s were hungry for goals, pressing high and creating several early chances. Claudiu was unlucky to hit the post, while Tom forced a superb save from the Perrott goalkeeper. Ollie looked dangerous throughout, narrowly missing on multiple occasions as Queen’s piled on the pressure. The breakthrough came after Mitch was introduced to steady the midfield, immediately making an impact by setting up Ollie, who showcased his skill by beating three players before finishing brilliantly. In the second half, Ollie continued to be a major threat, adding a second goal to give Queen’s a commanding lead. Perrott Hill fought back and found a last-minute goal to set up a tense finish, but Queen’s held firm to secure a well-earned 2-1 victory. A fantastic team performance, with relentless attacking play and solid defensive work, ensuring another great result for the U13B squad!
Netball
1st v West Buckland
The 1st team faced a tough challenge in their latest Netball match against West Buckland. They radiated determination, and resilience from the first whistle to the last. Despite being behind on the scoreline throughout the game, the team showed impressive consistency, working hard and keeping their spirits high. With quarter and half-time talks being on how to improve the next phase of play at their own level and focussing on the performance goals that could be set and were going to be achieved. Although the team found themselves chasing the game, there was a clear sense of unity and determination. At times, the gap seemed wide, but the players refused to let their heads drop. They focused on each phase of play, improving communication, and gaining valuable insights into their strengths and areas for development
2nd v West Buckland
The 2nd team put on a valiant performance in their latest match, demonstrating hard work, improvement, and resilience throughout the game. The team worked tirelessly, showing steady growth and development with every quarter. From the first whistle, the opposition came out strong, but the 2nd team refused to be discouraged. They stayed focused, with each player contributing their best effort. The team’s effort was evident in their increasing cohesion and determination. The players were quick to adapt, refining their passing and positioning as the game progressed. They left eh court with a positive attitude and some goals to work towards in training and for the next fixture.
14A v West Buckland
This was a challenging match for the U14’s. They did not play their best and allowed West Buckland to take control from the first quarter. Previously they have had successful games but they need to learn how to be resilient and to not let our heads drop. There are lessons to be learnt for the next game and the team can bounce back and show the quality that has been evident in so many previous games. Positivity and fighting until the last whistle for every ball are essential qualities in hard matches.
14B v West Buckland
A tough match against a strong and quick team. The wind caused a few problems but I was pleased to see that the girls kept their heads up and gave it everything. The last quarter was one of their strongest and they showed resilience in pushing through to the last whistle. Some things to work on in practice so that they can move towards the ball more and avoid the high loopy passes that can get intercepted.
