Yip Yang (#4) of SMU takes aim while Koh Jian Ying (#8) of NUS defends. Yip Yang finished with a game-high 4 goals in the 9-7 win. (Photo © Les Tan/Red Sports)
NUS, Tuesday, September 25, 2012 — The Singapore Management University (SMU) beat defending champions National University of Singapore (NUS) 9-7 to win the Singapore University Games (SUniG) water polo tournament.
The game was tied 3-3 at half time.
SMU opened their SUniG campaign with an 11-11 draw with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) before beating the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) 15-3.
NUS had won their two previous games, beating SIM 20-5 in their opener, and followed that up with a 10-7 win over NTU.
This left the match up between these two teams as as the gold medal decider.
Both teams were evenly match for the first half of the game. NUS led 2-1 after the first quarter but SMU came back to tie it up 3-3 at half time.
The third quarter proved the downfall for NUS as SMU took advantage of goalkeeping errors to outscore them 4-1 for a commanding 7-4 lead heading into the final quarter.
While NUS came back with two straight goals to narrow the deficit to just one (6-7), SMU pulled away comfortably to win 9-7.
“We just never took our chances,” said NUS captain Yip Kang, who scored two goals in the game.
When asked if goalkeeping errors cost them the game, Yip Kang said: “It’s not about the goalie. It’s everybody’s fault.”
SMU captain Loh Zhi Zhi said experience played a part in their win.
“We controlled the pace and that played to our advantage, even though we weren’t the fitter team,” said Zhi Zhi, who scored a three goals in the game.
“The team came in as an underdog,” said SMU coach, Matthew Tan. “We started off shaky but once we got going, they played as a team.”
SMU had finished third in the Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Water Polo Championship earlier in the year.
Scores by Quarter
SMU vs NUS
1Q: 1-2
2Q: 2-1 (3-3)
3Q: 4-1 (7-4)
4Q: 2-3
Final: 9-7
Scorers
SMU
Yip Yang (#4) — 4 goals
Loh Zhi Zhi (#2) — 3
Danny Goh (#12) — 1
Anthony Chee (#6) — 1
NUS
Yip Kang (#9) — 2 goals
Willis Lin (#5) — 1
Benjamin Tan (#10) — 1
Koh Jian Ying (#8) — 1
Li Shenghao (#2) — 1
Ervin Sathi (#12) — 1
SMU Roster
Loy Zhi Hao (#1), Loh Zhi Zhi (#2, C), Sherwin Sim (#3), Yip Yang (#4), Sherman Sim (#5), Anthony Chee (#6), Nicky Phua (#7), Nicklaus Tang (#8), David Wang (#9), Ian Sim (#10), Ang Hoe Khoon (#11), Danny Goh (#12), Eka Choong (#13)
NUS Roster
See Tow Shiun Yang (#1), Li Shenghao (#2), Dominic Fong (#4), Willis Lin (#5), Gilbert Beh (#6), Ng Li-Ming (#7), Koh Jian Ying (#8), Yip Kang (#9, C), Benjamin Tan (#10), Aaron Hau (#11), Ervin Sethi (#12), Teo Kai Min (#13)
SUniG Water Polo — full fixtures and results
More photos in gallery next page
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