Stirling’s female athletes first with national titles

The University of Stirling’s female sports teams have been leading the way this past week with no less than three national titles secured across a range of sports.

Here are the latest sporting headlines:

Scottish Student Sport Conference Cup Finals

The women’s basketball and volleyball teams both claimed national glory, lifting their respective Scottish Student Sport Conference Cups. The all-conquering basketball team, that won the national league without losing a single game, defeated Edinburgh Napier in an impressive final performance, whilst the volleyball squad gained some consolation of missing out on their own league title with victory over league champions Dundee.

The women’s volleyball team beat league rivals, Dundee, in their Scottish Student Sport Conference Cup Final.

The undefeated league and cup double-winning women’s basketball team.

Tennis

The women’s first team delivered one of their performances of the year as they defeated league winners, Durham, in the BUCS Tennis Championship Final. Having narrowly lost out in the season-long standings, the team held their nerve in a tense final to come out on top with an 8-4 victory.

In the men’s Championship Final, the Stirling first team suffered an agonising loss of the same score line, against the same opponents, as the national league champions fell 8-4 to Durham in an enthralling season finale.

Golf

There was an abundance of titles at the BUCS Tour West of Scotland event at a wet and windy Western Gailes as first-year, Hazel MacGarvie, and third-year, Laird Shepherd, defied the conditions to win the women’s and men’s singles tournaments over 54 holes. Former Scottish girls champion, MacGarvie, claimed her first Tour victory having led from the start before finishing ten shots clear of the field. It was an equally dominant performance from reigning Scottish Student champion, Shepherd, who won with a commanding cushion of nine shots over teammate, Jordan Sundborg, who finished in second place.

In the team events, MacGarvie’s efforts, backed up by Gemma Batty and Chloe Goadby, were enough to take the women’s team prize by 12 shots, whilst the Stirling men’s 2nd team capped an impressive tournament, winning the men’s prize.

Hazel MacGarvie and Laird Shepherd dominated the field at the BUCS Tour West of Scotland event.

Curling

Having recently won the Scottish Championships as part of Team Mouat, Sport and Exercise Science student, Bobby Lammie, and his teammates continued their fine form with victory over the returning Olympians of Team Smith in the World Play-Off tie. Team Mouat will now represent Scotland at the Men’s World Championships in Las Vegas next month.

In the women’s event, MSc Psychology of Sport student, Sophie Jackson, joined Team Fleming as alternate to help them win their own World Play-Off against Team Muirhead and is currently competing in the Women’s World Championship in North Bay, Canada.

Football

Following a narrow loss to league champions, Durham, in the semi-final of the BUCS Championship, the women’s 1st XI got back to winning ways in the Scottish Student Football Cup semi-final, defeating Glasgow 4-0. The team will now face Edinburgh in the final at Lesser Hampden on 4 April.

Swimming

Five Stirling swimmers returned from the Edinburgh International Swim Meet, which doubled up as this year’s British Championships, with medals after a strong of strong performances.

World champion and double Olympic medallist, Duncan Scott, picked up silver in the 100m butterfly and bronze in the 100m freestyle whilst Ross Murdoch and Kathleen Dawson also earned two medals each, with Murdoch taking silver and bronze in the 200m and 100m breaststroke events and Dawson claiming silver in both the 50m and 100m backstroke. Elsewhere, Aimee Willmott secured silver in the 400m individual medley and Zac Aitchison rounded off the medal haul with bronze in the 50m breaststroke.

Scott, Murdoch, Dawson and Willmott are now in Australia preparing for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games along with Stirling teammates, Craig Benson, Craig McLean, Scott Mclay, Jamie Graham and Calum Bain, with the athletes representing their respective countries of Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. Stirling’s Head Performance Swim Coach, Steven Tigg, is also out on the Gold Coast as part of the Team Scotland coaching staff.

Hockey

The men’s 1st XI rounded off their undefeated season with a 5-1 victory over St Andrews 2nd XI to wrap up the BUCS Scottish 3A title and earn promotion to the Scottish second division next season.