As Leeds Varsity draws ever closer the tension is beginning to rise as both University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett prepare for the biggest sporting event of the year. Women’s lacrosse club captain Sophie Wimble spoke to The Gryphon as they look to put one over their city rivals.

For those unfamiliar to the sport, lacrosse is a frantic, hard-hitting spectacle. Sophie describes the game as ‘the fastest ball and stick game, which played well, can be pretty brutal.’  When playing the neighbours from across Headingley, things are likely to be tasty.

The women’s lacrosse side may have tasted defeat in this event last year, but Sophie is keen to point out that it didn’t put them off of their stride, ‘We may have lost last year, but we went on to beat Beckett four times throughout the season and then got promoted.’

With promotion to the highest division and also a Christie Cup victory under their belts last year the side are in great shape going into Wednesday’s grudge match. With such a strong line-up, revenge is definitely on the cards, and Sophie can feel the Varsity buzz, ‘It’s the biggest event of the year, with all the media coverage it makes it really fun as everyone gets in the spirit.’

With just a few days until the event the team have had time to bed the new faces in and carry on with their intense fitness regimes. Sophie believes there’s a buoyant mood in the camp, ‘We are really confident about Varsity this year, we beat Manchester who were a league above us in the Christie Cup last year and we have had a great preseason.’

Join Sophie and the rest of the lacrosse team at 2pm on Wednesday (October 1) to see the two Leeds sides go head to head at Weetwood.

 

Adam LeRoux

Image: Tyron Louw