By REDintern Noor Farhan

Republic Polytechnic Sports Complex, Monday, January 18, 2010 - In the women’s Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Floorball Championship, tournament dark horses Nanyang Technological University (NTU) trounced Singapore Management University (SMU) 9-2 in a game that showcased NTU's impeccable tactical organisation.

As early as the first minute, they had SMU’s backs against the wall when an incisive through pass by Liu Xin Lin (NTU #17) found Lai Soak Kuan (NTU #11) who swept in the opening goal for NTU.

SMU started to play a direct game but an attacking run by Esther Yeo (SMU #30) saw her getting cornered by the sideboards by the well-drilled NTU defence.

SMU also tried to gain some offensive ground through well-earned set pieces at 3 minutes 50 seconds and 5:25 respectively but both free hits went wide off the mark. Their opponents responded in kind with wave after wave of attacks with accurate shots by Ye Yi Ping (NTU #14) and Gabriella Lee (NTU #18) but they were blocked by the SMU goalie.

But the nightmarish hailstorm of shots were just beginning for the SMU goalie. One by Liu Xin Lin (NTU #17) went past her right before the end of the first period, after a precise pass by Veronica Soh (NTU #7), to make it 2-0 to NTU.

At this point, SMU were lacking the attacking impetus to take the game by the scruff of the neck, as the second period saw them overrun by a technically superior NTU. Well-worked efforts by Xin Lin (NTU #17) and Lai Soak Kuan (NTU #11) blazed over the bar at the start of the second.

But there was no miss this time by Soak Kuan (NTU #11) as her foraging run went unchallenged and she lobbed the advancing keeper to make it 3-0 at 2:40.

SMU coach Dennis did not like what he saw, judging from his disdainful expression and called for a timeout at 3:15. The NTU team looked to have the psychological edge as they used the time-out to practise their passing.

Barely a minute after the restart, Chew Shi Jun (NTU #3) scored after a misplaced pass out of defence by Toren Yuen (SMU #8) to make it 4-0 and there was no stopping the NTU insurgency now. With ten minutes to go, a wicked deflection from Soak Kuan (NTU #11) left the goalie rooted to the spot and 5-0 to NTU.

However, against the run of play, SMU pounced on an NTU defensive error. A cutback saw Loh Hui Fen (SMU #20) make no mistake with the final move to make it 5-1, in what was beginning to look like a goal fest.

SMU were clearly lacking any offensive penetration especially with NTU captain Serena Tiong (NTU #27) in good form, bossing play from defence. Constance Zhao (SMU #6) was clearly seen vocally pleading with her teammates to keep up their work-rate, as Denise Teoh's (SMU #10) effort sailed over the bar at 11:10.

There was to be no comeback by SMU when Chew Shi Jun (NTU #3) scored via a close-range effort with their defence in disarray. The SMU defence were again unable to cope with the NTU attack when Soak Kuan (NTU #11) dribbled across from the left unmarked and scored via a hooked finish to put the scoreline at 7-1 at the end of the second period.

The third period began with a 7-2 score line, courtesy of a consolation goal, assisted by Joy Chua Xiu Ying (SMU #26), after an odd error by NTU's captain as she had a momentary lapse in concentration with an intercepted pass from defence.

Even as SMU played with renewed vigour in the last period, they could not halt the NTU onslaught as good one-touch passing by the NTU line sliced open the SMU defence at 4:17. Eunice Yeo (NTU#77) nestled the ball at the back of the net with a resounding slapshot to make it 8-2.

Credit to SMU for trying very hard as they created a one-on-one situation with six minutes to go but Geraldine Yeong (SMU #13) failed to convert from close range.

Fate had other plans for SMU as NTU put the score beyond a shadow of a doubt as Xin Lin (NTU #17) scored via a backhand effort. NTU have issued a challenge to all with their clinical 9-2 victory over their opponents.

"Even though SMU went direct in their play, we tried to catch them on the counter and stuck with our teamwork. We stood a good chance, as we went with all three lines and all of them gave their one hundred percent," said NTU coach Alvin Tay.

"We were technically inferior, and I felt that more could have been done on our side. We did not stick to the original plan, but I think NTU played well as a unit," SMU coach Dennis Lim, on their defeat.

SMU Lineup
Ng Shi Hui (#3), Tracy Lee (#4), Constance Zhao Liwen (#6), Toren Yuen Wei Lin (#8), Karen Chen Hui Yi (#9), Denise Teoh Li Xin (#10), Bernetta Tan (#12), Geraldine Yeong Kai Jun( #13), Corliss Lo Yi Yan (#16), Serene Loh Sin Ling (#17), Amanda Lim Jia Yan (#18), Annabelle Leow Xin Ya (#19), Loh Hui Fen (#20), Kelly Chew Jiawen (#22), Lee Cai Fen (#25), Joy Chua Xiu Ying (#26), Sheryl Baey (#27), Esther Yeo Shu Xian (#30), Bena Yeong (#40), Debra Teoh Li Min (#66)

NTU Lineup
Chew Shi Jun (#3), Lai Soak Kuan (#11), Lim Mei Yin (#6), Liu Xin Lin (#17), Ye Yi Ping (#4), Stephanie Fong (#5), Cheryl Leong (#38), Sheryl Seow (#9), Veronica Soh (#7), Gabriella Lee (#18), Serena Tiong (#27), Ong Shee Yin (#16), Nurul Ain (#10), Khairyn Adriana (#19), Afiqah (#33), Joreen Lee (#21), Lin Bin Bin (#8), Nanthini (#15), Eunice Yeo (#77)