Te Kūiti women'd winning squash team, back from left, Lee Alcock, Lauren Hill, Michele van der Aa, front from left, Clowdy Ngatai, Davina Davey and Paula Houchen. Photo supplied.
Winning the Waikato Interclub division 1 squash title was a bittersweet moment for the Te Kūiti women’s team.
Three weeks after being outclassed and outpowered by Thames and suffering a comprehensive loss, the women reversed their fortunes and picked up a 4-0 win in the final to take out the crown for the second successive year.
The seven women in the team are: Michele van der Aa, Lee Alcock, Lauren Hill, Clowdy Ngatai, Davina Davey, Paula Houchen and Denielle Wano.
All represent King Country clubs, Te Kūiti, Ōtorohanga and Āria aside from van der Aa who travels from Hamilton to play for the side.
Davey, who was part of the victorious team in 2022, said the women were chuffed to make it back-to-back crowns.
“We went into it as the underdogs because they had players ranked higher than us and had well and truly beaten us a few weeks earlier. But we managed to claim a home final and that really lifted us.”
Davey said all team members contributed strongly throughout the season.
“Everyone at some stage during the season had an impact and we’re a really good tight-knit group of ladies who all enjoy playing together as a team.
“We enjoy each other’s company and that helps.”
She feels this year’s win is a bigger achievement than last year’s, because it is the first time the club has gone back-to-back in division one and, last year, they had a stronger side.
In the final against Thames, the four players who took to the court all emerged victorious.
Van der Aa played first and had a cracker game causing an upset and taking out her opponent in four games, which set the team up for a nice start.
This was a great achievement as she had lost 0-3 three weeks earlier. Next up was Alcock, who didn’t waste any time and won relatively comfortably 3-0.
The next match between Ngatai and her opponent, some 30 years younger, was the match of the night with the veteran eventually taking the win, 3-2, in some 50 minutes.
The final player to take the court was Hill, who was not to be outdone by the rest of her team, taking the win 3-1.
This finished off another successful Waikato Winter Interclub Competition.
“We’re really happy. It was great playing at home and was just a shame we didn’t get a few more along to watch but overall, it’s been a great season.”
Davey said they scraped into the playoffs by one point, but that was all that mattered as they overcame Te Awamutu and earned a home final.
The competition comprised 10 weeks of round robin matches before a semifinal and final to cap off a fantastic season.
