Junior & Cadet 6 Home Nations

Over the weekend an eight-man team  head to Preston’s Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre to take on Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Guernsey and Isle of Man. Maria was part of the Junior Team, with Lois Peake and particpated at the team event and singles. The Welsh junior girls were the only side to break the English dominance on the team events resulting in the second place for Maria and Lois. For the individual event Maria was seeded number 2 with Charlotte Carey as the number 1. Maria won her four group games (all but one by 3-1, the interesting thing is that she lost the first set every time!) and then faced co-patriot Lois Peake. Carrying on the "tradition" she lost the first set 11-9 but subsequently won 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 to reach the final whereas she lost 3-0 to Charlotte but in three very close games (11-7, 12-10, 12-10).

Nationals gallery

National championships 2013

A good three day tournament for Maria, on Friday reaching the quarter finals for the under21s, reaching the second round of the women's singles and the semifinal for the women's doubles.

For the under21 group stage Maria won all her three games against formidable opponents.

vs Emma Tovey 3-1 10-12 11-4 12-10 11-7
Vs Tiana Dennison 3-0 11-5 11-3 11-2
vs Chloe Whyte 3-0 11-4 11-8 11-7

In the next round she had to face in-form and eventual winner Tin Tin Ho losing 3-1 11-8 5-11 6-11 6-11

For the mixed doubles she partnered Liam McTiernan a replacement for Tom Maynard who got injured. In the first round they faced Jamal Dennison and Emma Tovey. A 3-0 win 11-7 11-7 15-13 showed them through to round 2 where they faced number three seeds Chris Doran and Hannah Hicks. A well fought defeat by 3-0 9-11 9-11 6-21 ended their progress to the next round.

For the women's singles Maria once again won her three group games to top her group.

vs Charlotte Spence 3-0 11-6 11-8 11-6
vs Evangeline Collier 3-1 11-5 11-6 8-11 11-9
vs Emma Torkington 3-1 11-3 12-10 7-11 11-5

For the first round she had to face Vicky Smith a higher ranked player and with the luck on her side at a couple of times she was victorious with a 4-0 score (12-10 11-7 12-10 15-13).

For the second round Latina Le Fevre a much higher ranked player was waiting. Despite maria's tremendous performance an edge and a net helped Karina to win on the seventh set (8-11 11-8 10-12 11-5 11-9 7-11 8-11)

Two wins against Sophie Neil & Amy Humpreys 3-0 (11-8 11-2 11-5) and Yolanda King & Abbie Milwain 3-2 (11-8 12-10 5-11 9-11 11-9) let Maria and Tin Tin reach the semifinal of the women's doubles against the England's two leading ladies Jo Parker & Kelly Simbley. Whoever expected an easy ride for the two professional ladies was wrong despite that they won at the end 3-1 (6-11 11-9 10-12 9-11).

Overall a great weekend which could had been slightly better if the lady luck was on our side at one particular match.

Senior British League: Final Weekend

Maria was asked to represent the OLOP Impact club for the final weekend of the Senior British League (23-24 Feb) at Cippenham. This was her first time playing for the OLOP club and also for the League which allows mixed gender players, hence a weekend playing against men was anticipated to be difficult to say the least.

The team lost to Crusaders 7-1 with Maria losing to B. Larcombe 3-1 (11-9 6-11 13-15 4-11) and to M. Dawood Basha 3-0 (7-11 13-15 4-11).

A win against TTC Corwall with 5-3 brought Maria two wins; 3-2 against M. Trevorrow (9-11 11-9 11-4 6-11 11-5) and 3-1 against G. Bufton (6-11 11-6 11-8 11-9). Maria was declared the player of the match.

Another win against Sportingbet Guernsey with 6-2 gave the team another two points. Maria had one win against D. Morgan (11-8 8-11 11-7 11-7) and a defeat against A. Langlois (4-11 7-11 8-11).

The team also lost 8-0 to Greenhouse Progress I with Maria taking a rest for that match.

The team of David Barr, Daniel Moses, Daniel McTiernan, Harri Gehlot and Maria finished third for the Division 1 South.

Womens British League: Second Weekend

Congratulations to the Ormesby team for becoming the champions of the Premier Division at the second weekend of the Womens British League. Maria did not participate at the second weekend because of commitments with the England team but Yi who was a late replacement performed exceptionally well and both girls finished with 100% average (10 games) with Maria achieving the average at the first weekend and Yi at the second.

Well done to Maria, Katie Shepherd, Chloe Whyte and Y. Yi.

Junior British League: Second Weekend

On the weekend of the 9th and 10th of February, Maria with Naomi Jackson, Letitia McMullan and Lois Peake represented St Andrews club for the second weekend of the Junior British League.

The girls drew 3-3 with the Irish Girls with Maria winning 3-1 (11-13 11-7 11-4 11-8) against H. Lynch-Dawson and withdrawing from her game against A. Givan due to shoulder injury.

They beat 4-2 the Burton Uxbridge 2 team with Maria not participating in the match.

Lost 4-2 from the Wales team with Maria suffering two defeats in the hands of Nicole Hall (14-16 9-11 11-9 8-11) and Charlote Carey (10-12 9-11 11-13).

Won 5-1 against the Northfield Girls with Maria recording two wins; 3-0 (11-5 13-11 11-6) against K. Forster and with the same score against J. Dawson (11-7 14-12 11-7).

Lost 4-2 to Burton Uxbridge 1 with Maria beating comfortable Emma Torkington 3-0 (15-13 11-6 11-5) and losing to Vicky Smith on the fifth (11-4 8-11 10-12 11-9 5-11).

The conclusion of the second weekend found the team at the third place having played overall 10 matches, winning 4 drawing 2 and losing 4. Maria's statistics show that having played 17 games she won eleven and lost six giving her an average of 64.71%.

County senior premier division

The Berkshire team competed at the Wood Green Academy for the second and final weekend and managed an incredible joint first position. The team consisting of Dave Barr, Liam McTiernan, Bradley King, Megan Knowles and Maria were awarded though the second position due to inferior to the number of sets in comparison to Middlesex. This weekend the team had three wins against Sussex (6-4), Yorkshire (7-3), Essex (6-4) and a draw with Derbyshire (5-5).

Maria's contribution was 6 wins out of 8.

3-1 vs Rose Rainton (11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9)
3-2 vs Abbie Milwain (9-11 11-6 9-11 11-8 12-10)
3-0 vs Sarah Noutch (11-6 11-5 11-7)
3-0 vs Nicole Finn (11-2 11-3 11-1)
3-0 vs Sarra Wang (15-13 13-11 11-4)
3-0 vs Evangeline Collier (11-6 11-5 11-5)


Maria lost to Yolanda King 3-2 (11-8 12-14 11-8 10-12 8-11) and Emma Vickers 3-0 (6-11 7-11 9-11)