Newcastle Vikings’ ladies got back to winning ways with a dominant 12-25 victory over East Kilbride’s EK82 in Saturday’s Scottish league match.
Left-half Alexandra Inta and debutant centre Sofia Solli got the Vikings’ scoreboard ticking over with early trebles, and Caroline Bergum scored from the left-wing, as Newcastle opened up an early lead against the league’s newcomers. Further goals from line-player Sandra Christke-Lamb, right-half Marlen Slinning Goulty and right-winger Andrea King, plus another two from Solli, helped extend the lead to 6-12 by half-time.
The second half continued in much the same vein, with the Vikings’ solid defence backed up by a brilliant player-of-the-match performance from Great Britain goalkeeper Sophie O’Sullivan between the posts to thwart the EK82 attacks, including a couple of penalty saves. At the other end of the court, Bergum added her second from the opposite wing, Christke-Lamb, Inta and King each took their goal tallies to four, while Solli struck another three from right-half to take her personal tally to eight, having switched with Goulty who netted two more herself.
It could have been many more, as Newcastle missed several good goal-scoring opportunities, both from open play and from the penalty line. But head-coach Goulty was proud with the superb team effort overall, as the Vikings battled through without any substitutes available once again. The result secured their second win of the season and leaves them in third place in the league at the half-way point.
Newcastle Vikings: Sophie O’Sullivan (GK), Marlen Slinning Goulty (3 goals), Andrea King (4), Sofia Solli (8), Alexandra Inta (4), Sandra Christke-Lamb (4), Caroline Bergum (2).