The players of the UCL Women’s Basketball left varsity with a dominant win and an absolute decimation of the KCL team.
The match was incredibly intense, and the players displayed incredible skill and tenacity when faced with difficulty.
The first quarter began with a strong start from KCL, however the UCL team managed to retrieve the ball, with Martina Antón scoring the first points for UCL.
The defence remained strong throughout the quarter, with Abigail Isibor getting tackles and Maria Gutierrez and Katie Lee evading defenders, and Lee scoring a three-pointer. The quarter ended with UCL dominating KCL.
UCL started the second quarter strongly with Gutierrez scoring the first points. Isibor exemplified her power and speed, dribbling down the court and shooting with ease.
Facing a penalty, Isibor scored two of the three shots, leaving the score a dominant 27-14.
Antón, Siya Pathela, and Swarnim Gurung passed smoothly among each other, exhibiting a close court connection. The KCL team seemed to have grown a little more defiant in this quarter, but the UCL team defended well with the score narrowing to 33-29.
At half time, the KCL cheerleaders provided a well-needed break for the players, with a strong and lighthearted performance enjoyed by both universities alike.
The third quarter started with an air of tension, especially from the KCL side.
As the KCL defence grew stronger, the UCL players tried to build back the momentum from the end of the second quarter.
The score narrowed further, but Isibor got in further penalties smoothly, with Brooke Chen also evading KCL defence and getting in shots.
With the score at 40-34, it is clear the KCL side, especially the audience, was getting antsy. The KCL coach caused a mild stir, getting involved with the umpires.
The quarter ended 44-38, with the defence getting tighter on both sides.
The final quarter began with a shot in from KCL, but UCL’s Kirn Bal matched this, evening out the odds. KCL seem to have returned with a new hunger, getting in their own penalties and dominating attack.
Yet, Bal had her own drive, retrieving the ball from the KCL rebound and running down the court to raise the score to 48-44.
Isibor’s strength and skill were displayed at the highest level, as she scored three shots in a row. The KCL crowd began booing the UCL team, especially Isibor.
However the team did not let this phase them, with Isibor and Antón passing between each other and driving for the shots. The score read 57-44 with a clear dominance from UCL.
In the last minute, Bal and Rosanne Chung overpowered the defence, clearing the ball for the attack.
With the score reading 70-57, the team were calm and collected as Lizi Abramishvili and Chung passed cleanly between each other.
Varsity ended with a fierce score of 72-57. There is no question about the mastery and control of the UCL Women’s team, sustaining a well deserved win for Varsity 2026.
The Cheese Grater's player of the match goes to no.7 Abigail Isibor who truly exemplified resilience and sustained drive, scoring the majority of the points in the game, ignoring the crowd’s sways against her, and leading the team to victory.