Premier place thrills Uni (From York Press)

Premier place thrills Uni

8:10am Saturday 13th March 2010 in University of York sport

THE University of York finally has a team in the Premier Divisions of the British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) system.

The women’s fencing side beat Newcastle University 123-83 in their promotion play-off final to book their place in the Northern Premier League next season.

Durham, Edinburgh and Birmingham are among the opponents lying in wait.

Newcastle took the sabre discipline by a narrow margin to put York on the back foot. But the hosts roared back to win the first five bouts of the foil with Katherine Gracey, Louise Highton and Kate Horner ten points ahead before the épée.

York won the épée by a comprehensive 45-15 margin through Highton, Gracey and Becky Ellis to wrap up a comfortable win.

York Sport President Emily Scott hailed a “great victory,” labelling the team “amazing”.

The squad have lost just one match this season – against Oxford University in the BUCS Cup – and went through their entire league campaign unbeaten, overcoming Liverpool and Loughborough in the earlier rounds of the play-offs. The men’s rugby seconds remain set fair for promotion into League 2B after dispatching Sheffield Hallam 66-5.

York showed their opponents no mercy after a couple of early tries from Will Felgate got them on their way in the first ten minutes.