Newcastle Vikings women’s team finished their league season in style with a big 30-12 home win over Leeds Carnegie in their England Handball North Regional Development League match at South Shields’ Temple Park Leisure Centre on Saturday.
The Leeds Beckett University side took an early lead, but goals from right-half Alina Inta and Sofie Vaula’s brace from the line position kept the Vikings in touch during the early stages. Left-half Judyta Turulska, centre Sina Linsenmann and Inta each then scored twice from the back court as Newcastle began to find their flow to edge in front. Player-coach Marlen Slinning came on to grab a quickfire brace from the wing before Inta’s fourth goal gave the home side a 12-7 half-time lead.
Newcastle dominated the second half however, extending their advantage with some free-flowing attacking plays and several breakaway goals while maintaining a tighter defence line. Lea Muthing and Blessing Ogbee each fired in twice from the wings, Vaula grabbed another two for herself and Turulska added a hat-trick before Linsenmann got her third. Captain Sandra Christke got on the scoresheet from the penalty line and soon added another goal following Turulska and Inta’s brace.
Goalkeeper Andrea King saved a penalty at the other end to add to several other fine stops, before Muthing and Vaula’s double rounded off a strong team performance. The 30-12 victory sets the Vikings girls up well for next weekend’s England Handball League Cup semi-final clash against reigning champions London GD II who beat Newcastle in last season’s final.
Newcastle Vikings: Andrea King (GK), Marlen Slinning (2 goals), Judyta Turulska (6), Lea Muthing (3), Sofie Vaula (6), Sina Linsenmann (3), Blessing Ogbee (2), Kathryn Powell, Alina Inta (6), Sandra Christke (2)