The women's 1sts water polo team took firm control of their first BUCS qualifier to defeat Leeds 13-4 last week. In the first of three qualifying matches, the ladies played comfortably, and while it was not an easy win it was still decisively Edinburgh in the driving seat throughout most of the game.

The match began tentatively, with Edinburgh edging a few goals ahead thanks to some good shooting and pit plays in the first quarter. Sophie Piper was on good form, battling well against her pit defender to net some good goals. In the 2nd quarter the team really moved into gear, making some excellent plays combined with powerful shooting which has definitely improved since last year. Kat McIntosh provided plenty of problems for the Leeds defence with her shooting from the left hand side, while at the other end of the pool the Edinburgh defence was solid as they opened the gap to 9-2 by half time.

The 3rd quarter came with a Leeds revival as they pressured Edinburgh back into their own half as they searched for a way back into the game. This worked briefly as they pulled 2 goals back, but for the rest of the period the Edinburgh defence worked brilliantly, reducing the effectiveness of the visitor's onslaught as they struggled to gain any more momentum. The Edinburgh attack was quiet in this quarter, but this can hardly be faulted much considering the defensive effort being put in down the other end.

The final quarter saw Edinburgh respond to put the game to bed, putting any hope of a last gasp comeback from Leeds out of the question. The women can now look forward to their second match with confidence, after a game which they showed excellent progress in both attack and defence. The next round of BUCS qualifiers are in January, leaving plenty of time for coach Derek Docherty to further strengthen the team's attributes and skills.