It’s been another action‑packed week of sport at Shiplake, with teams across the College showcasing determination, skill and real competitive spirit. Our netball squads delivered standout performances, including a fantastic semi‑final victory for the 1st VII, while the 3rd VII fought hard in a high‑energy contest against Reddam. Out on the football pitch, the Senior 4ths continued their impressive run with a spirited draw against a strong Salesian side, preserving their unbeaten record heading into half‑term. Here’s your roundup of another brilliant week in Shiplake sport.
NETBALL
1st VII vs Cranleigh (SNS Semi‑Final)
A massive round of applause for the 1st team this week. We travelled to Reading Sports Park to play the semi‑final of Sisters n Sport. Big congrats to Players of the Match – Abigail O’Shea and Molly Craig, Coaches’ Player – Saachi Bhambra, and Players’ Player – C Pendlebury. I am so unbelievably proud of all the girls. The determination shown was inspiring, and this is a massive achievement. I am pleased to say that we won 37–30 and are through to the finals at Loughborough!
Player of the Match: Abigail O’Shea & Molly Craig
Players’ Player: C Pendlebury
Coaches’ Player: Saachi Bhambra
Match Report: M Mundy
Shiplake College 37 – 30 Cranleigh School
3rd VII vs Reddam House
On Wednesday, Shiplake 3rd VII took on Reddam House 2nd VII in what proved to be a competitive and high‑energy match. Despite a tough start, the team showed great determination and resilience as the game went on. Reddam came out strongly in the first quarter, finishing 10–3 ahead. By half‑time the score stood at 14–3, but the team continued to work hard, improving our movement down court and tightening our defence. In the third quarter we began to find more rhythm in attack, bringing the score to 17–5. Going into the final quarter, everyone gave their all, and we finished the match 21–7. Although the final score didn’t go our way, the effort, teamwork and positivity on court were fantastic to see. There was clear progress as the game went on, and we should be proud of the determination we showed against a strong Reddam side. Well done thirds – lots to build on for our next match!
Player of the Match: Amelie Wilson
Players’ Player: Charlie Brown
Coaches’ Player: Isla Forrest
Match Report: Izzy Lloyd
Shiplake College 7 – 21 Reddam House
FOOTBALL
Senior 4th XI vs Salesian School
Well done to E Chalfont for getting us off the mark with a killer finish following Jake Scotchbrook’s great work in the midfield. In a bruising second half, goal keeper Nicholas McGowan made a fantastic stop in a one‑on‑one that looked certain to level the game. Then followed a bizarre five minutes where Salesian took the lead. But did our heroes give up? Absolutely not! After a few near misses for the team, Chalfont struck again with a Dennis Bergkamp‑esque lob of the goalkeeper to draw the tie level. Cue delighted touchline scenes! Superb performances all round against a top team in difficult conditions, with particular mention of Sam Baker in midfield with Scotchbrook, and bitter, stalwart defending by Felix Pilkington. As a result, our unbeaten record is preserved going into half‑term. The 4th Division title is on!
Shiplake College 2 – 2 Salesian School
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