Uni Youngsters Triumph in Opener

The University Youngsters opened their account with a gritty 15-11 victory over the Baruni Eagles during the first day of the Zion Zeal 9s Cup on Wednesday, February 19th, 2025, at Kone Tigers Oval. 

The opening day of the Zion Zeal 9s tournament saw more than 20 teams strut their stuff and fight for supremacy, of which the Youngsters were one of the teams in the box seat. 

Although most of the Youngsters’ players aren’t used to playing the nine-a-side tourney, they adjusted their game plan and did well, pulling off an upset against the experienced Baruni side.

Many competitive teams are vying for the ultimate prize, so the Youngsters are taking one win at a time to make their presence known. 

Captain Ben Gul said despite struggling to find their groove in the first hit out, he was happy that they managed to get the 2 points but admitted that there was still room for improvement.

“We were a bit nervous when we went to the field, but as the game progressed, we started to regain our confidence and played our normal game,” Gul said.

“It was the first day of the tournament, so our performance wasn’t up to the standard that we expected, but we are glad that we got the win.

“We need to improve with our passes and our line speed to defend, as well as work on our attack and cut down with our mistakes.”

With the momentum at their backs, the Uni Youngsters are upbeat and looking forward to continuing their winning streak in the coming days and securing a spot in the finals.