Football South Scholarship recipients Britney-Lee Nicholson and Jaimee Paterson were recently selected for the New Zealand 'Futsal Ferns' team to compete in the 2018 FISU World University Futsal Championships. Britney-Lee and Jaimee are both students at the University of Otago and footballers for the Otago University Premier team. These World Champs just kicked off this week in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Thanks to Britney-Lee and Jaimee for taking the time to share their experience with the following diary from Kazakhstan!

Find out more about our Scholarships here - applications for the Otago Polytechnic Scholarships for 2019 are still open!

Day 1 - Britney-Lee Nicholson:

"To take part in the World University Championship representing New Zealand, Otago University, & Football South is an amazing honour. Wearing the Fern is truly surreal and humbling. 

Our first game set us to face the host Kazakhstan. Coming into this game we had no information on the team, however we were confident to play our own playing style. The atmosphere was unreal. Home supporters made it hard to hear your own teammates which proved difficult at times to hear over the chanting and drums however we came out strong, scoring early. Halftime score 3-1. After the late goal from Kazakhstan the momentum shifted to the opposition, seeing us concede another two goals. 3-3.

Another two goals were then scored by myself to get us back into the game then another by Dayna Manak, Final score 5-3.

This game was the first win any New Zealand National representative futsal team has had outside of Oceania at an international event. History was made.

The highlight for us was this game, after an unprecedented Opening Ceremony the night before our team was excited to get into the first game of pool play

This experience is one both Jaimee and I will never forget."

Day 2 - Jaimee Paterson:

"We faced France the next day, and we had a great first half, going into the second half 1 all. Unfortunately, we conceded 5 goals. The scoreline was one that we did not deserve. However, we did not dwell on the loss, we learned from our mistakes and were ready to use this loss as motivation for our next game. 

The next game was against Portugal, who we knew would be tough competition. The game ended with us losing by 4 goals. We were proud of how our whole team played.

This was the last pool game, with only one win and losing 2 games, it meant we are now aiming for fifth place."

Video & Photos:

University of Otago's NZF Futsal Ferns Representative Britneylee Nicholson shares her thoughts on the University Futsal Ferns loss to Portugal last night.

Britney-Lee celebrating being part of the first ever NZ national futsal team to win outside of Oceania at an international event.

Jaimee celebrating being part of the first ever NZ national futsal team to win outside of Oceania at an international event.

Article added: Thursday 23 August 2018