ITE beat Nanyang Polytechnic to cement 2nd place for men’s POL-ITE floorball championship

Story by RED Intern Wong Hong Yong. Pictures by REDintern Kenneth Chia.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Friday, October 24, 2008 – The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) secured second place when they beat Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) 7-4 in the 2008 Polytechnic-Institute of Technical Education (POL-ITE) Mens’ Floorball Championship.

It was never going to be a walk in the park for either the ITE or NYP, both with identical 3-wins-1-loss record. The match started with play going fast and furious, with players of both teams sprinting up and down the court into attack and then back to defend again each time after conceding possession to their counterparts.

ITE showed more hunger as they pressed NYP hard each time they had a chance to attack and got their deserved breakthrough.

The ITE #12 received a pass from a team mate and with no NYP players stepping up to stop him, he made an easy slap shot that sailed past the keeper into goal.

NYP’s refusal to bow to defeat showed as they defended bravely and kept their defensive shape even while slowly pushing up into attack. Both sets of players employed a rather physical approach alongside a mesmerizing passing game.

NYP attained their equalizer midway through the 1st period, a parried shot by the ITE goalie ensured a goal mouth scramble where the alert NYP #9 got ahead of everyone else and tapped in the ball. Jubilant screams from the NYP bench showed how much it really mattered to them.

But their happiness was cut short immediately upon the face off when the ITE #12 struck again as he made a brilliant solo run and made a shot after beating the NYP defender which left the NYP goalie with no chance for a 2-1 ITE lead.

NYP again reacted strongly to that goal, hassling the ITE players with physical play and equalized after their #16, who was left unmarked right in front of goal, got a pass from a team-mate and gladly tapped the ball past the ITE goalie. This ensured the first period ended even at 2-2.

It was more of the same in the second period with both teams equally adept in defense as well as attack. But ITE’s eagerness to push up into attacked allowed NYP some space to move in their defense.

The NYP #10 made use of the space and turned to hit a shot that the diving ITE goalie could do nothing about. 3-2 to NYP. NYP continued pressing and their #22 nearly scored from a pass but the ITE goalie got down well to save. ITE replied with an attack from their #10 which drew a save from the NYP goalie.

Then controversy ensued. ITE equalized after a controversial decision by the referee to allow the goal to stand even though the ITE #11 appeared to have slashed the stick of the NYP #22 before putting his shot past the NYP goalie to tie it up 3-3.

More misery followed as ITE were awarded a penalty after the NYP #16 slashed the stick of the ITE #24 just as the latter was about to score.

However, ITE wasted the penalty when the NYP goalie won the battle of wits when he managed to get his trailing foot to divert the ball onto the post and out to safety.

But there was to be no denying ITE as they fought even harder after that missed chance. The ITE #20 was allowed to turn and make a drag shot which blazed into the NYP goal for a 4-3 lead.

The play was getting more physical as both side showed just how much they wanted to win this match. Just before the end of the 2nd period ITE scored again when the NYP #23 held possession of the ball in defense for too long and allowed the ITE #10 to capitalize and steal possession away to score. The period ended with ITE leading 5-3.

Play in the 3rd period did not slow down as both sides fought even harder, the play was getting morephysical and there were good chances at both ends but ultimately it was the goalies who ensured the scoreline stayed as it was.

ITE finally scored their 6th when their #68 reacted well and got to a stray shot that had gone to the far side of goal and just tapped it into goal.

The NYP #22 was getting overly aggressive and his ITE counterparts did not like his approach. ITE reacted by pushing and manhandling the NYP players in return.

The NYP goalie was then forced into making a fantastic save after #17 of ITE made a drag shot that seemed destined for the back of the net.

NYP then got their fourth goal through a good piece of teamwork, their #84 running across the face of goal and shielded the ITE’s goalie’s view to allow teammate #22 to put a drag shot past the stunned ITE goalie who could do nothing about it.

Trailing 4-6, NYP started to rain shots on the ITE goal, their belief getting stronger, evoking memories of their comeback in last season’s Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Floorball Championship final. But that fairytale ending would see no repeat as an excellent attacking move made by their #11, 10 and 20 reaped another goal for ITE.

The initial shot by the ITE #20 was saved by the NYP goalie, with teammate #10 trying his luck with the rebound. The NYP goalie reacted superbly to push away the second shot but ultimately he could not stop the ITE #11 who struck a wrist shot beyond reach into goal to cement second place ahead of NYP with a 7-4 victory.

N.B. If you know the names of the players mentioned, please feel free to put it into the comments section below and we’ll update the story.