THE University of York’s teams enjoyed mixed fortunes in the latest British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) fixtures, writes Dan Holland.

The only home wins for any firsts team came in the fencing, with York’s women overcoming Birmingham in a closely contested encounter.

York eventually ran out 120-110 winners, claiming victory in the sabre and the foil, though they were pegged back in the epee.

Captain Louise Highton hailed her team, one of the most successful at the university, as they moved up to third in the BUCS Premier Division North.

The men’s fencing firsts continued their good form with a convincing 135-104 win over Bangor, sending them level on points with Keele University.

Elsewhere on campus, though, York endured a series of disappointing results.

The men’s badminton firsts put in an impressive display against table-topping Leeds Metropolitan Carnegie, but it wasn’t enough as they succumbed to a 5-3 defeat.

York were clear underdogs going into the match, having lost 8-0 in Leeds at the start of the season, but were handed a lifeline when the away side arrived without a full squad, giving the hosts two victories by default in singles competition.

Leeds Met’s talented side overturned the deficit, but going into the final doubles there was still hope of an unlikely draw, only for the visitors to come out on top after a three-set epic.

The men’s volleyball firsts fell victim to the same opposition, defeated in straight sets by the unbeaten Leeds Met team.

Playing with a depleted squad York are languishing in a relegation battle.

They started poorly, losing the first set 25-10. Even though they raised their game, it was too little, too late for captain Chris Stent and his team-mates.

There was more dismay in the lacrosse, as the men’s firsts lost 7-6 to an aggressive Sheffield Hallam side.

The score had been tight throughout, but York were visibly exhausted in the final quarter and paid the price, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the league and without a win.

It was a similar tale for the women’s side, who are also winless. They were comprehensively beaten by leaders Durham.

Away from York, there was more misery for the White Rose as the men’s rugby firsts suffered a 17-10 defeat at rivals Lancaster, a result that prevented them from leapfrogging second-placed Sheffield in the BUCS Northern Conference 1A.