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Table TEnnis Preliminaries by Chew Yan

Table tennis had always stayed on the top of my list as one of the most difficult games to master. Put aside the issue of space constraint imposed by the limited playing surface of a mere 152.5 cm X 274 cm, there is an urgent need to practice and fast reflexes and tackle the speedy ping pong ball. All these happen in a split second and just a game of table tennis is all it takes to teach me valuable life lessons. It sure isn’t enough for one to succeed, others must fail as well. Every folly matters; it puts one at a disadvantage and gives others an upper hand at the game; in the game of table tennis, in the game of life.

Tension first kicked in midway, during the third set of the female doubles’ game, after the girls took the prior two sets down comfortably. The girls maintained a healthy lead from the start but the situation took on a drastic turn at 8-6 when our contenders started to take advantage of our loophole. With that, they took the third set down with a close score of 12-10. Following next, captain Pei Yu kept her guards up, in fear of letting them loose on a potential winning streak. Our worries proved to be uncalled for as our girls did us proud by winning the fourth set with an almost perfect score of 11-1.

Deja vu crept in for the male singles when we witnessed the opponent taking the third set down after Hall 4 clinched victory at the prior two sets. The third set, which ended with a score of 11-13, was an undoubtedly nerve-wrecking one, in which three consecutive unsuccessful returns on our side ultimately gave Hall 7 the upper hand at the game. Thankfully, our male player managed to recoup the loss by winning the fourth set by 11-7, thereby contributing to the second win of our match against Hall 7.

The final mixed double game was scheduled to resume on the next day. With 2 wins and 2 losses on both sides, the wait was intuitively a tedious and unbearable one. Despite all escalating anxiety, our Sheng Duo - Qisheng and Wei Sheng, put on a good fight and won the first two sets with much composure. An element of tension was introduced nearing the end of the third set and it felt as if there was an invisible director secretly manipulating the game to excite the senses of each and every spectator. After changing leads, both parties eventually reached a juncture whereby 10 points were scored on both sides. Subsequently, Hall 4 battled on to gain a lead of 2 points to end the match while Hall 7 exerted their energies to defend the game, in a bid to introduce a twist to the game. After rounds of changing leads, the Sheng Duo ultimately did us proud by winning the set by 14-12.

Hall 4 table tennis team emerged jubilant, as top of the table, after five intensive rounds of games against Hall 7. Congratulations on proceeding to the quarter finals! All the best!

DANCE SHOWCASE WEDNESDAY 22nd FEB

HI EVERYONE! OUR DANCE TEAM WILL BE SHOWCASING THEIR HOCC ITEM TONIGHT!

HSS, 11PM

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! =)

IHG Badminton Finals By Chew Yan

Spirits were high at src badminton courts as 50-odd ohmers gathered down to catch the badminton finals. The sea of blue resisted the unbearable heat and the ardent desire to flee home and scream “TGIF“, in order to show our full support for our beloved badminton team.

The match kicked start with the men’s doubles, starring Captain, Wei Yang and Ler Yang. One of the opponents’ swift and powerful moves silenced the crowd in seconds. The first set ended with a score of 10-21. Unshaken, our boys continued to keep their morale high and maintain their composure. While the contenders were visibly stronger, the two Yangs managed to put up a glorious fight and keep the former constantly on their toes. The second set ended with a score of 16-21. Despite the loss, all of us were proud of the vast improvement the boys had made in closing up the spread difference. The men’s singles (Prof Brian) that followed after next, also concluded with a loss after two sets.

The commencement of the women’s singles triggered fervent emotions from both sides of supporters. With the prior two matches down, this was unarguably the deciding match that would dictate whether we would still have a shot at championship, after coming so far. All eyes were on Caroline as fists were clenched in a curious mix of faith and anxiety. The match started off, triggering much excitement from both sides as the girls exhibited much agility in their moves and great strength in their strokes. Barely a few minutes into the game, Caroline sent a swift smash down and that compelled her opponent to race down speedily to receive the shuttlecock. In the midst of it, the opponent slipped and gave a sudden split, which eventually restricted her speed. This further widened the spread difference between the two and Caroline stormed to an aggressive lead of 21-10 for the first set.

Despite having the upper hand at the game, Caroline put on a fight of integrity and was seen to avoid sending strokes down to the opponent’s weaker side, in hope of minimizing any over-exertion and exacerbation of her hamstring pull during the course of the match. After taking a few short breaks, the opponent showed visible recovery and made a brief comeback which ultimately faltered. Caroline then wrapped up the second set with a score of 21-14.

The subsequent women’s doubles match featured the interesting union of graceful Joyce and bubbly Phildia. Both of them breezed through the match with much poise and positive high energy. Both sets were won swiftly and coincidentally with a score of 21-3, against their two female contenders from hall 3.

The final mixed doubles match sent adrenaline rush down the pumping hearts of the sea of blue and yellow. Both sides had evidently played their strongest male and female players at the previous matches, thus none was certain of each other’s mixed doubles team’s prowess. All of us were especially wary of the male player’s abilities but our worries turned out to be uncalled for once we witnessed Shaline’s and Wei Loong’s steady lead right from the start of the set. After losing 9-21 for the first set, we witnessed the male opponent’s efforts in making a comeback. Sticking closely to his back position while his female partner kept to the front, he displayed discernible improvement in his defence with his vehement attempts to single-handedly receive our duo’s strokes and smashes. However, the lacking chemistry between him and his partner eventually prevented him from propelling forward. On the other hand, our doubles’ formation was flexible side as both Shaline and Wei Loong were comfortable with playing powerfully from the back-court and delivering swift net kills in the fore-court. Their perfect synergy ended the set speedily with a score of 21-11, sending an instant cue for the ohmers to kick start the renowned Hall 4 Hokkien Cheer with great vitality, after a round of three cheers for Hall 3.

It sure felt surreal. True enough, we had always held the team in high esteem. No one ever had doubts about their abilities and talent. Yet, sadly, for the past three consecutive years, it had been raining disappointment with the drought of badminton medals every season, since we last emerged champions (2007/2008) four years ago.

But as you see it, the gloomy sky is back to its blue, once more. And at the end of the rainbow, there awaits a beaming pot of gold, literally =)

Congratulations, CHAMPIONS! We look forward to doing another round of hokkien cheer at hocc prize giving ceremony ooh yeah!

IHG Softball Girls Quarter Finals by Hejun

Hall 4 vs Hall 7 (Sunday, 5th Feb 2012)

Our girls were up early and by 930am, they were ready to meet Hall 7. First to field, was Hall 4.

First Inning

Hall 7’s Captain, 4th Batter, delivered a ball to the outfield. This allowed the first 3 batters to clear all bases and return home. Jianyun rushed to the outfield to receive the ball. With a long pass to Kellie, they managed to prevent the heavy batter from advancing to base 2. The next bat saw Jenny delivering a fast and accurate pass to Kellie who subsequently tapped the Captain out. 1 down, 2 more to go! Wui Leng strikes the 7th batter out with her highly precised pitches. Hui Xian tapped the 8th batter out and with 3 batters out, it is our turn to field.

Hall 7’s pitcher issued high and confident throws. As our players were not used to these high balls, our first two batters were struck out and our 3rd batter was tapped out.

Second Inning

Hall 7 came up strong, with their first batter delivering a home run. Undeterred, our team got their composure together and held the other batters to the bases. The team successfully prevented them from earning another point.

Despite the best of our efforts, our first 3 batters were tapped out by Hall 7’s 1st baseman.

The Team’s Morale was dipping. Heads were down. Upon noticing, Wei Xiong pulled the team together, cheered them on and with a cheer from Jenny, our girls’ Captain, our girls re-entered the field with renewed confidence.

Third inning

Our Team fought hard to hold Hall 7 down. With a fly out by Jenny and 2 tap outs by Kellie, Hall 7 only managed to squeeze a point out of this inning. Jianyun was the first to bat. Steadily, Jianyun advanced to base 1. She subsequently advanced to base 2. Hopes were high, Jianyun could possibly earn our first point! Unfortunately, Jianyun was tapped out at the 3rd base.

Forth Inning

With the score at 5-0, we still had a chance!

Our team fought back and sent the first 3 batters out! Credits to Jenny, Hui Xian and Wen Rui! First to bat, Kellie. Kellie bats the ball towards the 3rd base but a good return by the 3rd baseman to the 1st baseman saw Kellie being tapped out. Not being able to stop in time, Kellie hugged the 1st baseman, who got a huge shock. That invited lots of laughter and helped lighten the mood on the ground. With her iconic high balls, Hall 7’s pitcher sends 2 of our batters out. With that, we were moving onto the 5th Inning.

Fifth inning

The Team’s Morale was high! With the guys cheering on loudly behind, our girls marched onto the field. With her excellent pitching skills, Wui Leng strikes the first batter out. Hui Xian subsequently tapped the 3rd batter out. 1 more batter to go!

The ball was batted away, Jenny received the ball and sent it towards base 3. However, as the opponent got there ahead of the ball, Karyn sent the ball towards base 2 in an attempt to tap the other opponent out. Plan failed again. As the opponent attempted to complete the run, Kellie sent the ball all the way back to home base! With a good stretch by Yu Ning, Yu Ning catches the ball and the 3rd batter was sent out! It was such a dramatic finish! The girls were jumping in happiness! I’m pretty sure it was a moment, the girls will keep with them.

Finally, it was Hall 4’s turn to bat. With 1 strike out and 2 of our batters being tapped out, the match ended. Although we eventually lost to Hall 7, it was a match well played! Great job to our Softball Girls Team! Let’s look forward to next year’s IHG! Once again, Congratulations to our Softball Girls Team!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BADMINTON TEAM

IHG CHAMPIONS!! EXCELLENT JOB!!

The writeup will be up shortly!

IHG Waterpolo (vs Hall 13) 1st Feb by Wee Liang

The water polo game against hall 13 was originally scheduled at 8pm sharp, but the game was delayed for roughly 30 minutes. Captain Clarence gave his pre-match speech in firm yet encouraging manner, hoping this time extension would be enough for extra bits of mental preparations and warm up.

The water polo team started well, every single opponent member was well marked by our players. However, the first goal was scored by hall 13 as their striker managed to sneak a shot through our defense. Our team responded strongly led by captain and the playmaker Clarence, we managed to pulled level to 1-1.

The first set of 15 minutes was an even game, but luck was not on our hall 4’s side. Hall 13 cruelty managed to score just before the end of the 1st half. Nevertheless, the boys really put up a professional and never die spirit in the 2nd half; the defense tried their best to track back as the whole team was pushing for attack. Several attempts by hall 4 team were well countered by hall 13.

In the end, that goal before half time defined the turning point of the games, as our team’s belief was hit hard and coupled with fatigue. The 2nd half of the game was hall 13 to take as they increased their lead to 6-2.

Though the water polo team journey for this year IHG has ended prematurely, great cheers for our water polo boys for doing their best and hope the experience learnt will be useful in next year IHG.

IHG Squash - Hall 4 vs Hall 2 by Meisiew

Today, our hall 4 Squash team is faced with strong opponent hall 2 for the group selections round. With Professor Yap taking on the first game for the male singles, he displayed great sportsmanship. He fought well but ended up with a score of 5-9 and 6-9. Next up, Wen Rui started both her games well, boosting the morale of the squash team. After an intense game, the game ended with the score of 6-9 for both sets. Lucrecia played the second round of the female singles. With her swift reflexes and good techniques, she won effortlessly at the score of 9-2 and 9-3.

Subsequently, Vinson and Wei Loong took up the second and third round for the male singles. Vinson, up with a strong opponent, fought hard and the game ended with the score of 0-9 and 4-9. Wei Loong took up the last round for the male singles. It was a close fight with a tie of 7-7 towards the end of the first set. The supporters and team players cheered and eventually the game ended with the score of 7-9 and 5-9.

Let’s look forward to our squash team’s next match, which will be on 7th of Feb, Tuesday. We will be facing Hall 6! Good luck team!

IHG Updates:

BOTH OUR SOFTBALL GUYS AND GIRLS TEAM ARE GOING TO THE QUARTER FINALS! CONGRATULATIONS TEAM! WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU!

IHG Softball Girls (vs Hall 9) by Ailsa

29th of Jan 2012

In the blistering heat of the afternoon, supporters gathered at the SRC fields just to watch the showdown between the softball girl’s teams from Hall 4 and Hall 9.

In their first inning, Hall 9 managed to score a total of 6 points with 4 walks and 2 runs. The Hall 4 team then went on to make an IMPRESSIVE COMEBACK with 3 HOME RUNS! Well done! The girls then continued to pin the Hall 9 players to nil in their second inning.

In the third inning, Hall 4 girls scored a total of 4 points with 2 walks and 2 runs. Following that, they managed to score another run putting them 2 points ahead of the Hall 9 team.

In the last inning, the girls were alert and managed to get 3 players out of the game in a short amount of time and our girls were once again victorious.

Congratulations to our softball girls team for making it into QUARTER FINALS! You guys were awesome out there. Great job!

Final Score : Hall 4 (8) - Hall 9 (6)

IHG Softball Guys (vs Hall 8) by Hejun

Sunday, 29th of January 2012. 1pm

It was a big day. Our softball guys’ team was up against Hall 8. This crucial match held the key to the Quarter Finals. After a quick surveillance of Hall 8’s batters’ and fielders’ strengths and weaknesses, our team captain, Wen Yuan, gathered the team for a final pep talk. At 1pm sharp, the Hall 4 softball team marched onto the field, ready for the showdown.

1st Inning

The first inning saw Wen Yuan delivering 2 fly outs, sending 2 batters back to the bench. Kang Hong boosted the team’s confidence with a home run, enabling James and Zhong Liang to clear all bases, making it home safely.

2nd Inning

Hall 8 fought hard, striking and taping 3 of our batters out. Just when we thought we were losing steam, our guys came back fighting strong. Hall 4 sent the first three batters from Hall 8 back to the bench, denying them the chance to reach base 1.

(James to Nicholas. Nicholas taps out 1st batter)

(Zhong Liang to Nicholas. Nicholas taps out 2nd batter)

(Flyout by Jevon)

3rd Inning

Hall 4 to bat. Nicholas made it past all 3 bases and returned home! With Le Zung on last base, Mervis on the 2nd and James on 1st base, it was a great chance for us to chalk up on points! It was Zhong Liang’s turn to bat. Zhong Liang sent the ball outfield, between the 2nd and last base. However, as it was too risky for Mervis and Le Zung to move on to the next base, Zhong Liang had to be sent out.

Hall 4 to field. Excellent pitching by Zhong Liang sent the first batter out. Although the 2nd batter from Hall 8 delivered a great shot to the outfield, great reflexes and receiving skills from Prof Brian sent the 2nd batter out with a flyout. 3rd Batter from Hall 8 was also sent out with Nicholas receiving and sprinting to the 1st base just before the Hall 8 batter did.

4th Inning

First up was Qisheng. Qisheng progressed steadily and returned home, earning us another point. Wenyuan, 2nd batter, sent the ball to the centre of play. Pitcher caught it and sent it to the 1st baseman without delay. Wenyuan rushed to the 1st base and touched base just before the baseman! Baseman 1 argued with the umpire that it was a wrong call but the umpire maintained his stand, stating that his right leg was not in contact with the base.

Next up, was Prof Brian. Prof delivered the ball to the left open area, giving the batters time to advance 1 base each. Tension was building up within the Hall 8 team. This allowed Nicholas, Le Zung and Mervis to advance a base each, without batting. Following that, Kang Hong bats a high ball. Just when we all thought that the fielder was about to do a fly-out, he dropped the ball. This allowed our batters to move another base each! Finally, Jevon delivered a fatal blow to Hall 8. With a home run, James, Zhong Liang, Kang Hong and himself cleared all bases and returned home!

As the score different was too wide, Hall 8 conceded defeat early. Victory to Hall 4!!! We are going to the Quarter Finals!!

Final Score : Hall 4 (11) - Hall 8 (0)

IHG Softball girls (vs Hall 12) by Ailsa

This Sunday, 29 January 2012, as many celebrate REN RI, our softball girl’s team were going hard against the hall 12 girls in the first match of the morning.2

The game was off to a good start, the weather was great; the girls were all doing great and by the end of the 1st Inning hall 12 only managed to score 1 run against our girls.

In the 2nd Inning, our girls owned the field! The pitching from the opposing team was inconsistent and many of our girls just walked from base to base. Out of the 6 points the hall 4 team scored in this round, 4 were walks and 2 were runs. Impressive strategy by the hall 4 team!

After that, both teams were scoring zero runs consecutively until the very last inning where hall 12 managed to score an impressive 3 runs. However, time was up and our girl’s were the overall champions for this game!

The girls were focused, they did not take many risks and they worked really hard. Well done and congratulations to our girls in the softball team. You guys were great! And might I just add that Hall 4 pitcher (Wee Leng) was awesome. At one point in the game, she caught a high speed ball in mid air and sent a player out.

Final Score : Hall 4 (6) - Hall 12 (5)

IHG Sepak Takraw (vs Hall 5) by Stefanus

It took them three sets but Hall IV definitely showed that other teams should write them off at their own peril. Hall IV finished strong as they made a comeback victory against Hall V in their Sepak Takraw Inter-Hall Games match.

It was not a good start to the evening for Hall IV as they narrowly lost the first set 23-21. The first set was riddled with many unforced errors as Hall V raced to an early 8-5 lead. Hall IV made a late surge at the end to deuce the game twice before caving in 23-21.

The second set started similarly with Hall V grabbing an early 5-1 lead. Hall IV tried to keep pace as the two teams switched sides with the score at 11-8 to Hall V. It looked like Hall V would wrap the game up but credit to Hall IV as they stormed back to take the lead 14-12. Hall V could not recover as they allowed Hall IV to get back into the game as they won the second set 21-16 to bring the game to the deciding final set.

Hall V crumbled in the third set as Hall IV continued their momentum from the previous set. At one point, they even managed to score 12 consecutive points. It was an easy finish for the boys in blue as they closed the match 21-7. They might have been slow off the blocks but they certainly dug in and made a strong come back to win the match.

IHG Sepak Takraw (vs Hall 8) by Stefanus

Hall IV strolled to an easy victory during their Sepak Takraw Inter-Hall Games match against Hall VIII. It was a close game in the first set but Hall IV managed to edge ahead to lead 8-5 early on. The score was 11-8 when the two teams switched sides.

Our players then turn up the heat as they scored seven consecutive points ruthlessly. There was little Hall VIII could do as they succumbed 21-11 in the first set.

In the second set, Hall VIII put up a good fight. Despite Hall IV taking an early 4-0 lead, they stormed back to take the lead 8-7. Sensing the shift in momentum, Hall IV took a timeout to try and adjust their game. However, it did not have much effect as Hall VIII continued to maintain the lead up to 17-14. It looked like the match was to be decided in the third set.

However, Hall IV had other ideas. Slowly but surely they closed the gap and at 18-19, they sensed that the game was there for the taking. True enough, Hall VIII crumbled under the pressure and lost the set and the match 21-19.

IHG Waterpolo (26th Jan 2012) by Sianpei

The intensity of the water polo match against Hall 14 could be seen both above, as well as under waters held in the late evening at the SRC swimming pool today. Nevertheless, our water polo boys managed to triumph against their opponents in their first match.

Split into two 15-minute sets, the first set saw captain Clarence scoring the first goal for the team. The team showed their strong determination through the continuous attempts to score, as well as goalkeeper Wei Yang’s efforts in intercepting the shots from the Hall 14 players. Next saw our team and the opponent team taking turns to score goals for a while. Although Hall 14 managed to catch up to equalise the score to 3-3, our team managed to shoot in another goal to make the score 4-3 just before the referee's whistle to mark the end of the 1st set.

The second set saw Hall 14 managing to get a goal, tying the scores at 4-4. However, with the 5th goal shot in by Mark saw our team slowly pulling apart the scores. With several good saves by goalkeeper Wei Yang, top-scorer Clarence (who managed to score several good shots by aiming at corners of the goalposts), and great teamwork exhibited by the boys, our water polo team managed to finalize and win at a score of 9-4.

It was a tiring and intense match for both players and spectators, but indeed a well-played game by our water polo team. Good luck and all the best for the upcoming matches!

IHG Road Relay (21st Jan 2012) by Chew yan

The scent of the Saturday morning dew was mingled with the exceptional sweetness of excitement on this very Saturday morning. Spirits were high at the SRC field as runners and supporters sacrificed the much relished Saturday morning sleep to fight for their respective halls.

The first flag off triggered a wave of roaring thunder at the spectators’ stand as the chain of first runners dashed across the tracks like bolts of lightning under the blinding rays of sunlight. Before one could even complete the Hall 4 Hokkien Cheer, all of them had already fled off and disappeared into sight.

The crowd had barely settled down before the sight of the first runner from Hall 6, with four other runners trailing closely behind him, stirred up yet another storm at the spectators’ stand. Amongst the much expected bolts of green and yellow, a striking bolt of blue made its mark and elicited much exuberant response from the Hall 4 supporters. Clocking a timing of 7:50 before the baton was passed on to Charmaine (A2), Captain Wei Loong (A1) did us proud by coming in as the top 5 runners. Alan, came in swiftly behind, in less than a minute’s time, passing the baton on to Yong Sheng(B2), the next runner, in line.

Unlike most other interhall games, road relay isn’t just a battle against other halls. For the runners, it is a battle against time, a battle of mind over body and a battle against one’s very own limits. Not forgetting the battle of lungs as well, for both runners and supporters alike. While adrenaline rush challenged the runners’ lungs to inhaling more oxygen than ever to fuel their run, the supporters were screaming at the top of their lungs to spur their runners on, even if it may sound like gibberish to their fatigued ears. Special mention went out to a particular runner/supporter from another hall for relaying his voice across, strikingly loud and clear. The signature and almost parodic sight of him pointing his shoe at any runner preceding his representative while yelling ”That runner is ****ing slow. Faster outrun him/her!” is seriously hard to balance. Ask Yu Ning (A4) and she can easily testify for that. We were all immensely glad that she outran the running trailing behind her, despite all hurling yelling.

The wait for the announcement of results was a moment of tension that felt longer than the race itself. The Hall 4’s runners were confident of bettering their past years’ record but were nevertheless unsure of their affinity with Top 8. Amongst all buzzing mutterings, we sensed the fear for the particular digit 9 in the pending announcements. We were instantly overwhelmed with joy when the convening hall called out Hall 8 (not hall 4 yay!) for the 9th placing. A chain of gasping screams of joy followed suit at the declaration of 8th and 7th placing until Hall 4 was called out at the 6th placing. Clocking a timing of 1”31”23, Hall 4 had moved up 8 positions and emerged 6th from the race, missing the 5th position by a mere 15s.

Three cheers go out to our runners (A: Weiloong, Charmaine, Wei Sheng, Yu Ning, Timothy and B: Alan, Yong Sheng, Keni, Shawn and Yeow Cheng) for running with poise and letting us witness a moment of pride! The potential of the team is infinite and all of us had faith in them brushing a new record at IHG next year! Top 4 next year, all the best!

IHG Softball Guys (21st Jan 2012) by Hejun

Hall 4 vs Hall 1

First Inning : Hall 4 to field and Hall 1 to Bat. The 1st ball saw Hall 1’s batter being given the immediate sent off for throwing his bat. 2nd ball – fielder tapped out batter. 3rd ball, Jevon did a splendid Flyout (a ball hit by the batter is caught before touching the ground) and with that, 3 batters were out!

Hall 1 sends 3 of our batters out. The score is now even.

Second Inning saw Prof Brian, James and Zhong Liang clearing all 4 bases to earn us the 3 points to move onto the next set!

Hall 1’s first batter was sent off for throwing his bat. In the subsequent 2nd and 3rd bat, our pitcher (Zhong liang) and 1st baseman (Nicholas) worked together to tap out both batters.

Third Inning: Hall 4 to bat. Our first 2 batters, Prof Brian and Jia Hui advance onto the 1st and 2nd base. Our third batter, Nicholas came up strong and delivered a home run! With 3 Batters in, we were moving on!

In the Fourth Inning : Hall 1 sends 3 of our batters out despite Jevon’s efforts in delivering a powerful straight ball.

Hall 4 to Bat: Nicholas and James tapped out the 1st and 2nd batter respectively. The match witnessed the second flyout (by james) and with that, Hall 4 clinched victory! Great job team!

IHRG Scrabble by Chew Yan

Jenny is a word, Jessie is a word but Kenny is not a word. Henry is a word, yrneh is a word, Shawn is a word. Andre is a word, Peter Pan is a word but Brian is not a word.

Scratching your head hard, thinking it is yet another of those ”Fuzzy Wuzzy” Orientation games? My oh my, you are so very mistaken. Be scrambled by the turmoil of funky unbelievable words; welcome to the world of SCRABBLE.

Two full busy days of wordy action took place in Hall 8, on 4th and 5th Jan. Hall IV residents were busy, convening and umpiring the games. Hall IV scrabblers were VERY busy, trying their best to remember their word lists and familiarizing themselves with speedy gameplay.

As an introduction, our ”fortunate” group was ”blessed” with (1) Hall 1, boggle champion for IHRG 11/12, (2) Hall 3, which emerged champion for Scrabble ultimately for IHRG 11/12, (3) Hall 9, which renown for being ”The Rec Hall” and (4) Hall 16, which featured the legendary national Scrabble player and which ultimately won the silver medal for Scrabble IHRG 11/12. Im not saying that they are the ”Fantastic Four”, but you get what I mean when I say it’s all about blockbuster action in Hall 4’s Scrabble grouping this IHRG season.

Even when all hopes of entering quarters appeared to be extinguished, the Hall 4 scramblers continued to fight hard to prove their worth. ”To fight for DIGNITY, not for victory,” became the unofficial slogan.

The first round saw Hall 3 triumphing with a score of 5-0 but the good fight put up resulted in the eventual capping of Shawn and Yong Nan by their opponents. In round 2, the issue of miscalculation and underestimation of Hall 2’s ability resulted in the unexpected loss of all 5 tables to Hall 2. Nevertheless, the Hall 4 scrabble team were not let down by their defeats.

Having learnt a painful lesson from the prior game, a rearrangement of players was adopted and the Hall 4 team witnessed the birth of the ”POWER TEAM” – ST and Shawn! (both are words, according to EXPERT woohoo!) Both played their tiles with style and managed a win at their table with perfect chemistry. Although Hall 1 won the round ultimately with a score of 4-1, the ”POWER TEAM” managed to uphold the dignity of Hall 4 scramblers! The ”POWER TEAM” continued to win one table when they played against silver medalist Hall 16.

The final round against Hall 14 was a crucial round for us to accomplish our personal goal of clinching a 6th placing in a grouping, as competitive as ours. Usher in butterflies in the stomach, peristaltic movements and fireworks in Hall 8 restrooms (although it is particularly true for some, only); all of us were in for the final fight for mission DIGNITY!

Score was 2-2, before the last double table concluded their game. With the ticking of time, we grew increasingly worried, in fear of the ten-point deduction penalty, imposed on every exceeding minute. Battling against time, the final score became even more unpredictable. To add on to that, all four grim faces, coming from both Hall 4 and Hall 14, sure did not help much in signaling the outcome of the game. It turned out that both halls were unable to proceed with their available racks and were thus compelled to end the game prematurely. The possession of power tiles like ”Q” and ”X” in our racks could have worked to our disadvantage, but thank goodness, our players Fiona and Xue Zhen had diligently accumulated a healthy leading spread right from the start, prior to the stutter. The round ended with Hall IV winning by a score of 3-2, hip hip hooray!

We might have missed out on quarters, but a memory like this, is sacred and precious, in every way. Presence, can never be more reassuring. It is truly heartwarming to see how everyone persevered to improve Hall 4’s past year’s record, even though the competition was significantly fiercer this season.

Thank you Fiona, Xue Zhen, Seow Tian, Shawn, Wei Loong, Yong Nan and Jessie (JessieRC!:D) for being part of this beautiful memory.

Here’s urging everyone to come down to give the game a try, for you will never know how awesome it can get until you have a sampling of it! All the best to next year’s scrabbling team; continue to impress and impart the spirit!

Fight hard next year, for BOTH DIGNITY and VICTORY, alrights! HALL 4 WHOOSHHH!!

IHG Volleyball Girls Quarter Finals (16th Jan 2012) by Sianpei

The volleyball girls were up against Hall 7 for the quarterfinals round for the evening. Despite putting up a strong fight against their opponent, Hall 7 managed to win two out of the three sets.

Both sets played saw our girls leading for a few points before Hall 7 managed to catch up and lead. Especially for the second set where Khui Huay’s good serves in the beginning allowed the girls to lead 5-1 ahead, it was a pity that Hall 7 managed to catch up and later on lead 14-8. Overall, both sets had Hall 7 winning at 25-11.

Nevertheless, kudos to our volleyball girls for doing a great job for going so far in their journey in the volleyball inter-hall game!

IHG Softball Girls (15th Jan 2012) by Ailsa

Hall 4 vs Hall 3

It was a sunny Sunday morning as the hall 4 softball girls’ team headed to the field at the Sports and Recreational Centre (SRC). The girls took the heat and played well against the competitive hall 3 players.

Round 1 : Hall 4 (0) : Hall 3 (1)

Round 2 : Hall 4 (0) : Hall 3 (0)

Round 3 : Hall 4 (3) : Hall 3 (2)

Round 4 : Hall 4 (0) : Hall 3 (2)

Overall

Hall 4 (3) : Hall 3 (5)

Overall, the girls did not beat the hall 3 players but it is commendable that they scored 3 home runs in one of the rounds and they had very good team spirit and great fielding throughout the game. Though they may not have won, they put forth a great effort and had great sportsmanship. Great job Hall 4 softball girls’ team!

Players present: Wee Leng (Pitcher) Jenny, Wen rui, Yu ning, Karyn, Yu ting, Hui xian, Liang lei, Jian yun, Wan ying, Kellie.

IHG Softball - Hall 4 vs Hall 3 (14th of Jan 2012) by Wei yang

The first IHG softball match began on a hot Saturday afternoon. Hall 4 players were already assembled in the morning at 11am to have their meals and prepare themselves the match later in the day. Hall 4 was up against last IHG defending champions Hall 3 in this preliminary round within the group consisting of 4 competing halls fighting to enter the Quarter Finals among the 16 halls of NTU.

Though Hall 3 was well-known to be the favorite in softball and likely to defend their champion title every year, our players were undaunted by the odds against them. Beginning the match sharply at 1pm under the scorching sun, Hall 4 won the decision to decide to play fielding first while Hall 3 bat. Traditionally, the team that fields first would have a good advantage over the other, having a first feel of the playing ground and its terrain.

Hall 4 managed to hold off Hall 3 in the first set having fielded first, but not before the strong opponents managed to secure some points with their heavy batters and base to base sprints. Next up was Hall 4 to bat. Wei Siong, being our previous IHG Softball Captain was up on the plate as the first batter. Wei Siong managed a decent placing of the ball to secure the first base with ease. Next in mention was James, our returning senior now in NIE. James surprised everyone including Hall 3 to swing a heavy shot and bat the ball far right of the field. This unexpected shot brought Hall 4 its first and probably only point as Wei Siong sprinted his way home across 3 bases!

For the next 1 hour and 3 sets of fielding and batting, Hall 3 easily took the match and in its final set, managed a 7-run to secure the match. Despite the vast margin in the score line, Hall 4 players kept their heads high and displayed good spirits knowing that Hall 3 is very much favored and has much more expertise than many other halls. The afternoon spent on the field brought together the players of Hall 4 once again this IHG season. Though the team may not have won today, they are just not about to give up on the season as they prepare themselves for the next match against the other hall teams in the group.

The team will be playing on the 21st of Jan, 9am - 1030am. Be sure to head down to support our Softball Team!

IHG Badminton Quarter and Semi Finals (6th &8th of Jan 2012) by Hejun

Results for Quarter Finals 6th of Jan 2012:

Male Singles : Hall 4 (0) - Hall 10 (2) - Qisheng

Female Singles : Hall 4 (2) - Hall 10 (0) - Phildia

Male Doubles : Hall 4 (0) - Hall 10 (2) - Prof Brian & Ler Yang

Female Doubles : Hall 4 (2) - Hall 10 (0) - Joyce & Shaline

Mixed Doubles : Hall 4 (2) - Hall 10 (0) - Wei Yang & Zhiyuan

With 3 sets in hand, we were moving on to the Semi-Finals!

IHG BADMINTON SEMI-FINALS

8th Jan Sunday, we were up against Hall 2, the defending champions of last year's IHG Badminton. Coincidentally, in last year's Badminton IHG, Hall 4 faced Hall 2 in the Semi-Finals as well. However, the badminton team was determined not to let history repeat itself and was focused on making it into the Grand Finals.

With straight forward matches, the critical match which played the determinant role was the Mixed Doubles Match.

The results for the other matches are as follows :

Male Singles : Hall 4 (0) - Hall 2 (2) - Prof Brian

Female Singles : Hall 4 (2) - Hall 2 (0) - Phildia

Male Doubles : Hall 4 (0) - Hall 2 (2) - Ler Yang & Wei Loong

Female Doubles : Hall 4 (2) - Hall 2 (0) - Joyce & Shaline

Wei Yang and Caroline was up. Hall 2 took the first 3 points with strong finishes. However, Wei Yang and Caroline returned shots, which sought to wear out the Male Hall 2 Shuttler, an IVP player. Their efforts paid off. We soon caught up with Hall 2 and started taking the lead. With both sides giving their all, the match was filled with Whoos and Ahhhs from both the players and spectators. Eventually, we prevailed and took the first set!

After a short water break, the second set started. This time, the tactic remained the same. Wear the male player out and capitalize on the weaker female player. Our strategy worked out perfectly and both Wei Yang and Caroline led comfortably and eventually took the second set as well.

With that, Hall 4 is once again in the Grand Finals for IHG Badminton! Well Done Team! The Grand Finals is tentatively on the 3rd of Feb. More information will be posted on the Facebook page. Do come down and support the Team at the Grand Finals!

IHG Soccer [Hall 4 vs Hall 16][5th jan 2012] by Abner

Hall 4’s soccer team was up against Hall 16 in a deciding match that would determine if they proceeded on to the next stage.

The match kicked off promptly at 10am at SRC field, in the beginning of the first half, both teams playing hard to even get through each other’s line of defence. However, Hall 16 managed to score the first goal after breaking through Hall 4’s defence. A second goal was scored by Hall 16 before the end of the first half when they were awarded a free kick, near the penalty box area. The first half ended with Hall 4 trailing behind by two goals.

After a short talk and words of encouragement by James, the team was back on the field. However, Hall 16 managed to score a third goal in the second half. The whistle went off with Hall 4 in defeat.

Despite the defeat, the match brought much excitement to the supporters present that very morning. Many tensed moments could be felt at the stand, such as when Wei Sheng ran across almost half the field and attempted to score.

Although this marks the end for the soccer team in this year’s IHG, many new faces were seen and it will be no doubt that with more training, the team can progress much further in next year’s IHG.

IHG BADMINTON [8th Jan 2012]

WE ARE GOING TO THE FINALS!!!!!

GREAT JOB TO OUR PLAYERS! DO COME DOWN AND SUPPORT THE TEAM! TENTATIVE DATE : 16th JAN

IHG Badminton [5th Jan 2012] by Hejun

Despite of injuries and sickness, our badminton team endured the discomfort and pulled Hall 4 into the Quarter Finals. With experienced and skillful players, our team confidently took 3 matches from Hall 15 which brought us to the Winner Pool group stage.

Male Singles : 2 - 0 (win) - Wei Yang

Female Singles : 2 - 0 (win) - Phildia Foo

Male Doubles : 0 - 2 (loss) - Wei Loong + Qisheng

Female Doubles : 2 - 0 (win) - Joyce + Shaline

Mixed Doubles : 0 - 2 (loss) - Ler Yang + Zhiyuan

Hall 4 (3) - Hall 15 (2)

In the afternoon, Hall 4 was up and against Hall 1. With great positioning skills, Wei Yang dominated the game. Despite the strong resistance from his opponent, Wei Yang took the Male Singles match comfortably.

After some tactical briefing from our Captain, Wei Yang, our mixed doubles pair (Ler yang + Zhiyuan) came back strong and took 2 sets from Hall 1.

Male Singles : 2 - 0 (win) - Wei Yang

Female Singles : 2 - 0 (win) - Phildia Foo

Male Doubles : 0 - 2 (loss) - Hejun + Aaron

Female Doubles : 2 - 0 (win) - Joyce + Shaline

Mixed Doubles : 2 - 0 (win) - Ler Yang + Zhiyuan

Hall 4 (4) - Hall 1 (1)

With the 2 matches won, our Hall 4 Badminton Team moves on to the Quarter Finals! Congratulations Team! The next match is at 2pm, Friday at NIE

IHRG OTHELLO [2nd and 3rd of Jan 2012] by Seow Tian

Hall 4 Othello ended their quest for medal with a quarter finals finish for the 4th consecutive year, after 5 months of intensive training.

02/01/2012

All went well for the 1st 3 games for the team as they convincingly beat worthy opponents Halls 11, 2 and 1, all by the margin of 4-1. However, the tables were turned as they suffered a surprise 1-4 loss to the seeded Hall 9 team in the 4th round. Hall 4 then gave no chance to Hall 13 with a 4-1 win, concluding day one with a total of 4 wins and 1 loss.

03/01/2012

Day 2 of competition saw Hall 4 go down again to defending and eventual winners Hall 3 by a 1-4 margin, before rounding up the whole Othello competition with a 4-1 win over neighbours Hall 5.

With 5 wins and 2 losses, Hall 4 Othello was on par with Hall 9. However, Hall 4 narrowly missed the chance to enter the semis due to board count difference. Well done for putting up a gallant fight in the group of death.

HAPPY NEW YEAR OHMERS!

The 25th JCRC wishes all Hall 4 Residents a very Happy New Year!

Ihg basketball Male [30/12/2011] BY FAIZAL

We were in for an intense game. Both hall 4 and 9 wants to win but there can only be 1 winner. 1st half of the game, hall 9 was leading and hall 4 was down by 4 points 17 - 21.

However, during the second half, our boys were on fire and brought the points up to 23. They continued to dominate throughout the 3rd quarter and were leading 32 ñ 27.

Last quarter, hall 4 supporters were at the edge of their seat. Although our boys were leading but hall 9 was catching up fast. At the last minute, hall 9 was able to catch up. Last 8 seconds, and hall 9 managed to get a free throw and was leading by 1 point. With 2 seconds remaining, hall 4 tried their best to score but they just couldnít get pass hall 9 defense. Nevertheless they played with all heart and we are proud of them.

The final score was 45 ñ 47, with hall 9 winning by just 2 points.

IHG Basketball FEMALE [30/12/2011] BY SIAN PEI

Although Kellieís first shot at the teamís second group stage match brought about loud cheers from our supporters and served as a great confident booster right at the start of the game, it was still a tough and tiring match for our girls as they were up against Hall 8 strong basketball team.

However, despite Hall 8 leading 25-4 at the third quarter, our girls continued to show great fighting spirits throughout the entire match, not showing any signs of giving up. At the end of the match, Hall 8 managed to finalize and win at a score of 30-6.

It was not only our basketball girls who had put up a good fight, but also our encouraging supporters who constantly cheered for the girls today. Although it has come to an end for our basketball girls, but it has truly been a good learning experience for them. This is also a good opportunity for them to rest themselves for the New Year ahead!

IHG SOCCER [29/12/2011] BY STEFANUS IAN

Hall IV came up second best in their second group match against bitter rivals Hall V. From the kick off it was clear that there was no love lost between the neighbouring halls as tempers flared early on. Physical challenges were flying in with high frequency and the first yellow card was produced within the first ten minutes.

Hall V took the game by the scruff of the neck as they pinned Hall IV for much of the first half. However, the dogged Hall IV defence led by James Khoo stood firm as they deny everything thrown at them. The first 45 minutes ended with the scores at 0-0.

The second half was much of the same. As legs starts to tire, Hall V was dominating proceedings but they still could not find a goal from open play. They finally caught a break when they scored through a free kick just at the edge of the box. Credit to them, it was a well-taken free kick which took a fortunate bounce off the cross bar and into the goal.

Many of the Hall IV players were carrying knocks from the physical nature of the game and it showed in the dying minutes of the match. They struggled to contain Hall V and Vinson had to make quite a few reflex saves to keep the scores respectable. Hall IV had one final chance at the death when a long lob bounced over Hall Vís defence. Joel Kwek was quickest to react as he connected with a header but alas; it was not to be as his looping header was too powerful. The referee then blew for full time to hand Hall IV their first defeat.

IHRG BOGGLE [28/12/2011] by SOH WEELIANG

On the 4th day of Christmas marked the 2nd day of the our boggle team, though the team had missed out the chance of qualifying for the next stage of the IHG from yesterday result, our boggle team displayed remarkable sportsmanship. Hall 4 aka Ohmers we are certainly highly resistive; we are not going to be sent home without putting up a strong fight.

A spirited loud cheer “Hall 4 whoosh” from the boggle team kicked starts the first game of the day against hall 11. Unfortunately, our boggle team’s nerves got the better of them. In a match they were confident to win, they lost it 1-4 to hall 11, with Captain Teo Seow Tian winning the only match of the game.

Our boggle team was not too disheartened by the results; the break was filled with jokes and laughter. Wei loong even humorously claimed they are the best looking boggle team in the whole competition! Though they may have not won the competition, but they definitely played it with imposing manner.

Our boggle team entered the last game of this round virtually with nothing to lose in mind; they put up a good fight. The team marginally lost the game 2-3 to hall 14, with Seow Tian and Shawn securing 2 victories. The most intensive match was definitely wei loong’s match where he narrowly missed out the win by only 2 points.

Although the boggle team’s IHG 11/12 journey had officially ended, the team displayed great fighting spirit. In addition, the experiences these players gained would be invaluable for next year game. Cheers for the hall 4 boggle players.

IHG NETBALL [28/12/2011] by YEO XIN YI

Although there was a slight drizzle before the match, the netball match commenced as usual at about 11.15pm. Our netballers were briefed by captain, Wan Ying, followed with a team cheer before the start of the game, which boosted the team’s motivation and lowered the tension in them.

Our netball team started the match well, with a nice goal scored by captain, Wan Ying. However, the opponent team, Hall 2, caught up shortly, and the match's intensity was building up. As the match advanced, several near goals were witnessed. Despite the numerous stoppages by the referees, the girls composed themselves and put on their very best throughout the match. The atmosphere became more and more tense as the opponent started to pick up their pace. Nevertheless our girls persevered on. This also brought us, supporters, to cheer louder in giving our the team our support.

As we progressed into the last quarter, the rain got heavier. In spite of the weather, the girls displayed their fighting spirits and took the chance to score as many goals as possible. The match ended with Hall 2 triumphing of a score 27-8.

Nevertheless, Good job to our Netball Team who displayed tremendous determination and team spirit throughout the match!

IHG BASKETBALL GUYS [27/12/2011] by LYNETTE ONG

It was a sunny yet windy morning at SRC. Our basketball players were seen with glittering sweat as they were warming up to prepare for their first match against hall 5, whose players were all bigger-sized than our players.

It was our arch rival who started the first quarter brightly, pulling away with a 9-0 run. Our players defended bravely, making interceptions and steals but were unable to convert them into points.

Our team came back to the second quarter with a revised strategy, and soon enough our first breakthrough came with Timonthy leading the charge, scoring our first 2 points after winning the ball in the paint. Jevon then added 2 more as our guys tried to make their way back into the game.

Hall 4 continued to improve in the third quater, executing their offense well, most notably with Timonthy driving the ball down the right of opponent's court and putting in shots after shots. However, Hall 5 took their own chances too and third quarter ended just like the second, leaving our team with 8 points to chase.

Our players fought hard and tried their very best to bring the margin of the score closer. As Hall 5 seemed to be pulling away, Jiahui scored a crucial 3-pointer in the fourth quater to keep our team within 7 points of our opponent.

The match ended with a score of 32:26, with Hall 4 losing only by a margin of 6 points. The team had put up a very strong fight against Hall 5's seemingly aggressive players. They showed great determination and their efforts are commendable. We wish them good luck for their next game on Friday, 30th December!

IHG BASKETBALL GIRLS [27/12/2011] BY TAN YEOW CHONG

Our female basketball team did not have much luck as they were pitted against Hall 13, the defending champion, for their first game of the IHG 11/12. However our girls showed no signs of fear as they prepared for the match, with the faithful supporters in full voices behind them.

Referee signalled the start of the match. Hall 13 scored the first basket, and soon extended their lead. They continued to dominate the area, grabbing most of the rebounds and scoring second chance points due to their height advantage. Our players tried hard, making driving runs and shots but were met by near misses.

Our breakthrough finally came in the middle of second quarter. After a good pass through the opponent's defence, Kellie received the ball and put away a shot calmly to score our first two points of the game. However, our opponent's aggressive play and tireless runs proved too fast for us to handle, as they began to stretch their lead.

Despite trailing, the fighting spirit of Hall 4 was displayed by the players as they continued to challenge for every loose ball. Our girls kept trying and their best spell of the match came in the fourth quater, as they took 6 points off Hall 13's lead in 3 successive attacks. Our girls never gave up and continue to put pressure on our opponents even in the closing stages of the second half.

Final whistle came. Though defeated, the spirt of our girls is commendable as they showed strong resilience right from the start till the end of the match and definitely made it hard for the opponents. All the best for the next match!

Final score: 64-16.

IHRG BOGGLE [27/12/2011] BY FIONA TAN

Just when you thought that the Christmas bells have ended, the jingle bells have just started ringing for the Hall 4 Boggle Team! Early in the morning at 11am, all the umpires started the morning with a shake of the boggle sets, which sets the hearts of the boggle players beating fast.

The Hall 4 Boggle Team faced a tough battle against hall 3 in the first round and lost to them 0-5, but Captain Teo Seow Tian encouraged the team to brace up and do better for the next round!

Indeed, the difference improved for the match against Hall 8 as the battle was lost against Hall 8 with a score of 2-3! Seow Tian, Shawn and Jessie won 3 games! Their effort is very much commendable as it is a huge step from the previous game. The next round has the team up against Hall 16. It concluded with a score of 1-4, with Seow Tian managing a winning game. The team had a little revision on the words and with the fuel from the lunch break; the fourth round against Hall 7 was won with a triumphant score of 3-2! The team’s efforts finally paid off!

The end of the day was close and although the round was lost against Hall 1 with a score of 0-5, we wish the boggle players, Seow Tian, Shawn, Jessie, Zhi Xiong, Chew Yan, Wei Loong all the best for the subsequent games tomorrow!

On another level, our hall is in the top 3 positions for the overall score for IHRG! Lets go, Hall 4!

IHG TENNIS [27/12/2011] by YEO XIN YI

Today marks the second match for tennis and we were up against Hall 3. After some plots and warm ups, the match commenced at 11.45am sharp. Despite of the hot scorching sun and the pressure from our opponent teams who are also IVP Players for NTU tennis, our tennis team displayed strong fighting spirit. Their perseverance, determination and their never-give-up attitude were remarkable.

Starting with menís singles, Zhong Leong portrayed his ultimate calmness and played his best throughout out the match despite his opponentís powerful serves. He eventually lost to his opponent with the score of 6-0. As the menís singles was played, the femaleís singles played by Wen Rui commenced, but despite her hard work, the game ended with a score of 6-0.

Shortly after the singles, the menís doubles started. Though it was a tiring and stressful match, Wei Loong and Benjamin did not give up hope and put on a great fight until the very end of the match. However, due to the opponentís strong serves and attacks, the match finished off with a score of 6-0.

Having been at the losing end after the first few matches, the atmosphere was somewhat down, our tennis players were little disappointed and stressed. However, just as everyone feels a little upset, a twist occurred, our females double played by Joyce and Pei Yu successfully beat Hall 3, with a score of 6-2. And the tennis match was wonderfully ended with us winning the last match, mixed doubles played by Qi Sheng and Liang Lei, with a score of 6-0, whom displayed good serves and wonderful confidence till the end. Hurrayís to our hall four tennis team!

The overall score for the tennis match was 3-2.

An applause to our fellow tennis team, Well done! Though the match wasnít that smooth sailing in the beginning, the sportsmanship and handwork displayed were truly commendable. Now let's all look forward to the match next year, all the best!

IHG Tennis [20/12/2011] by YEO XUEZHEN

It was not an easy fight, but we certainly fought hard.

Hall 4 Tennis team was up against Hall 14 for their first match on 20th December after the initial scheduled match on the previous day was postponed due to the heavy rain.

The girls did well by winning both the Female Singles and Female Doubles categories. Liang Lei won by a wide margin of 6-0 for the Singles category. For the Doubles game, Joyce and Pei Yu also won by a relatively large difference of 6-3.

Nonetheless, the rest of the team also put up a strong fight. Though there were some controversial calls being made by the Umpire, Wei Loong lost by a narrow margin of 4-6.

It might not have been a good start, but I’m sure that the Hall 4 Tennis team would not be defeated just like that. Like tennis ball, the harder it falls, the higher it will bounce back. All the best to Hall 4 Tennis team for the rest of your matches and we look forward to good news from you guys!

IHG Hockey Girls [22/12] by LEE CHEW YAN

Many have expected the day to be an exceptionally long one. After making victory against Hall 13 earlier in the morning, several volleyball girls headed down to NIE pitch to form the hockey team and resume with their second match of the day. It was the hockey girls' first match of the day, up and against Hall 16. Having lost to them 3-0 at last season's quarter finals, everyone was wary not to let their guards down.

A defensive strategy was called for, in hope to bring the game to a draw. Our girls fought hard in safeguarding the goal post, putting up a strong defense that eliminated Hall 16's chances of scoring in the first shift. Being wary of the defense, Hall 16 entered the second shift with a greater attacking intent. Halfway through the shift, an offence committed within the shooting circle by our girls entitled them to a penalty corner. Hall 16 made full use of the opportunity to score one goal against us. Our girls continued to battle on to contain the score. The shift eventually ended with an overall score of 1-0. This brought us to the losers' pool and the second match was scheduled three hours later, in the evening. While our girls might have lost, their vast improvement from last year's score of 3-0 was certainly commendable.

The second match of the day (the third for our volleyball girls who played in the morning as well) was up and against Hall 8, which featured an ex-national player in their team. Similarly, a defensive strategy was adopted. However, despite our girls' vehement efforts in safeguarding the post, a goal was conceded in the first shift.

For the second shift, we decided to bet on our chances and took on an attacking approach, in view of the first goal conceded. Hall 8's forwards picked up their speed and headed for the goal swiftly upon successful obstruction of our passes up their zone. A strong and abrupt goal was then scored from the tip of the shooting circle and left us all discernibly shaken. This had undoubtedly brought about a dip in our girls' morale and an inverse situation for the contender. Visibly drained from the long day, our girls were gradually unable to contain the score as Hall 8 stepped up on their attacking efforts. The game ended with a score of 5-0.

Having played hockey for the past three years, I must say the competition within our group this time round is visibly tougher than what we were met with for the past two years. It had been a fruitful journey, witnessing our first goal scored in three years during our first game against hall 9 and playing against strong contenders like Hall 8 and 16.

A big pat goes out to Jian Yun for volunteering her service as a goalkeeper and having to withstand the immense pressure (and stench of the goal keeper's suit) at the goalpost. Kudos to the girls for persevering on throughout the very long day. Special thanks go out to our faithful supporters and welfare subcomm who cheered us on, helped us with our drinks and even went the extra mile (literally) to help us buy twister fries! Last but not least, let us all applaud our captain, Hau Kim, for always believing in us and patiently coaching us at every training and match although he is no longer residing in hall. He has taken up the role of a captain since I entered the team in Year 1 and his passion for the sport has definitely left an impression and set us all in awe.

Although the hockey girls' IHG 11/12 journey had officially ended, we all have faith in the girls' potential in making a stronger comeback next season. All the best, future hockey girls!

IHG Hockey Guys - Hall 4 vs Hall 2 by ABNER PHUA

Today marks the second day of competition for Hall 4's Hockey Boys team and they were all up early in the morning despite the rain. After warming up at NIE Hockey pitch, the team was ready to face Hall 2 in a deciding match that would determine if they proceed on to the next stage of competition.

The match commenced at about 11:30am and both side played to their best. However, Hall 2 managed to seize an opportunity in the first half to score the first point. The game carried on with Hall 4's continuous attempt to equalize the score. At the end of the first half, Hall 2 was leading by one point.

After a short team talk during half time, our Hockey team was back on the pitch. The second half commenced with both teams still putting in their best and could not get through each other's defenses. At the end of the second half, Hall 2 won Hall 4 with a score of 1 - 0.

Despite the end of the Hockey Boys team in this year's IHG, it was a good learning experience for many of the new players this year. Great job and we will look forward to a better performance in next year's IHG.

IHG SOCCER - Hall 4 vs Hall 14 [22/12] by STEFANUS IAN

Hall IV made a heroic comeback victory, fighting through fatigue and a very muddy pitch. Joel opened the scoring early in the first half after being put through brilliantly by Zhong Leong's volley. Cutting in sharply from the right flank, he floated the ball effortlessly over the goalkeeper to put Hall IV in the lead. One shot, one goal.

Hall XIV equalised soon after to tie the score at 1-1. However the deadlock did not last long as Hall IV, dressed in blue, grabbed the lead again. Weisheng rounded the keeper easily after being put through by Stefanus's lob. Credit to Hall XIV, they fought hard to level the scores although it took a little bit of luck on their side. A clearance from one of our defenders hit the face of one of their attackers and he was able to equalise with a volley just inside the box. Both teams were level as they referee blew for half time.

Hall XIV took the lead in the second half after a goalmouth scramble. They held on as Hall IV bombarded them with wave after wave of attacks. However, their resistance crumbled in the final minute. Following Zhong Leong's free kick at the edge of the box, James leaped the highest and headed home a priceless equaliser, sending the game to penalties.

Zhong Leong was the first kicker, scoring with a calm shot to the bottom right corner. Vinson then saved Hall XIV's first kick, which went straight down the middle. James made no mistake from the spot, slotting the ball to the right bottom corner. Hall XIV scored on their second kick despite Vinson getting a hand onto it. Stefanus made it 3-1 as he sent the keeper the wrong way with a shot to the bottom left corner of the goal. After Hall XIV missed their third spot kick, Joel powered home the deciding penalty into the top right hand corner to the delirium of the players and supporters alike.

Our next match will be on the 29th of December at the SRC. Do come down and support our players!

For video, click here

IHG Volleyball (Female) - Hall 4 vs Hall 13 [22/12] by Ng Sianpei

History was made this morning at Hall 2's Volleyball court. The first female volleyball game was finally won after a 3 years drought. Despite the light rain, our volleyball girls won 2 matches in a roll, bringing us to the winner pool of the group stages.

By the time Hall 13 called for the first time-out, our girls (Zhi Yuan, Mei Ping, Liang Lei, Khui Huay, Wen Rui and Yu Ning) were already leading 18-12. They maintained the lead and finally secured the scores at 25-16.

The second round saw some blunders made by our girls, which allowed Hall 13 to take the initial lead. However, our players were able to turn the game around, leading with the score of 9-6 at the first time out. Liang lei and Mei Ping were then substituted for Ying Jie and Kellie, who helped maintained the tip-top condition of the team. Ying Jie's excellent serves helped widen the score difference to 17-12. The consistent serves by our girls, coupled with some errors made by Hall 13, allowed us to lead comfortably and finally winning the 2nd match with the score of 25-16.

A good coach, a group of encouraging supporters and sturdy teamwork amongst the players were what I saw during the volleyball girls' first group stage match this morning. Zhong Leong, Coach, was seen reminding players on the importance of communication by the sideline. The girls stepped up their game and demonstrated great teamwork in both matches.

It was a job well done by our volleyball girls and we hope that this first win will kick start a series of victories by our girls in the later matches. Hall 4 Ace!

IHG Hockey (Female) - Hall 4 vs hall 9 [21/12] by Hejun

This morning, our Hockey Girls did us proud by clinching a victory against Hall 9. Despite the heat, our girls dominated the first half with good passes and positioning. The match saw many near goals with Jenny's dribbling skills. Though defence was penetrated, the opponent fought back hard to deny our team the chance of scoring.

Our team's determination finally paid of, at the last minute of the second half. With assistance from Kellie, Zhiyuan successfully dribbled past the opponent's defence line and delivered the winning goal!

Good job to all our Hockey Girls, from the defenders, midfielders and forwards! Not forgetting the Hockey Guys who were at sidelines giving advice. The Hockey Girls team will be playing 2 matches tomorrow. Do head down to NIE to support the team!

IHG Volleyball - Hall 4 vs Hall 5 20/12/11 by LEE CHEW YAN

The weather was kind today and our guys' volleyball match against Hall 5, last season's volleyball champion, took place as scheduled at the hall 2 outdoor courts. Huge crowds of supporters from both teams gathered at the courts to cheer the avid players on.

Midway into the first set, the crowd was apparently aroused with the introduction of a Caucasian player into the opponent's team. Going by my approximation, he was about 30cm away from being as tall as the net itself. His presence made everything and everyone look small and short in comparison, almost instantaneously. Nevertheless, our boys were undaunted by the threat posed by his height. They continued to fight on, making several dives that land themselves hard on the concrete ground in their vehement attempt to not let any ball slip past their wrists. A conscientious effort was made to meet the “three hits rule” and ensure that none would go to waste.

The match ended with Hall 5 triumphing with a score of 25-8 and 25-5 for the first and second set respectively. Despite the defeat, our boys' team has exhibited great teamwork and much zeal in dashing for the ball at all times. Three cheers to their commendable efforts and we wish them good luck in their subsequent matches that will determine their qualification into the quarter finals!

IHRG Darts- 20/12/2011 by Ailsa Kuan

The Inter-Hall darts event started with a bang as supporters and hall teams arrived to take their place in the quarter finals. The pressure was mounting as Hall 4 was three games away from qualifying for the semi-finals alongside Halls 6, 14 and 15. In the first match of the day, Hall 4 players were off to a good start as they beat Hall 14 [3 - 2] to clinch a win for the event. The second match against Hall 6 also saw the team emerging victorious with the score of [3 - 2].

In the third match, Hall 4 players were up against the highest scoring team Hall 15 and it was really intense as both halls were fighting to finish the game. Although Hall 4 did not manage to beat the Hall 15 team, they managed to clinch [1 – 4] against Hall 15 which is a great effort from our players.

Overall Hall 4 emerged top 2 of their category and proceeded to the semifinals where they faced off against the players of Hall 9.

In the first round of matches for the semifinals, the atmosphere was intense as both Hall 4 and Hall 9 players went back to back battling to check out of the game first. However the Hall 9 team beat Hall 4 to it and our players managed to clinch [1 – 4] in the semifinals.

Although the team did not manage to enter the finals, let's congratulate them on making to the top 4 positions, an improvement from last year's performance! Thank you to the Hall 4 darts team once again for working so hard and doing us proud.

Players present: Derwin, Hwee Teng, Ivan, Joel, Karyn, Qi sheng and Yu Ting

IHRG Darts - 19/12/2011 by FIONA TAN

It was a heavily pouring Monday morning, and many were still snuggling under their bed in their rooms. But this was not the case for the Hall 4 Darts team! At 10am sharp, they were all ready and ready for the battle! In Hall 8's badminton court is a court full of spirit early that morning. The Hall 4 Darts team of course is also charged, additionally with the Milo packets from the welfare team, they are ready to give it their best shot! Cladded in the royal blue hall jerseys, the sense of uniformity only serves to bring up the spirit of hall four. Team captain, Tang Qisheng, also adds to the rising level of confidence with a short Woosh!, which indeed helped perk up the players in this sleepy and comfortable morning.

Indeed, just Round 1 alone, Qi Sheng played like it was a breeze against the opponent team, with a 3-0 at hand. Derwin and Yu Ting also followed up the game well with scores of 2-1, and just like that, Round 1 was won against Hall 15 with a total score of 3-2! It was a good start to the day, and all players were excited about the following match.

After a transitory break, Round 2 follows up shortly. Derwin, being the darts captain last year, still lived up to his reputation, scoring a fierce 3-0 against his opponent. Yu Ting was also fighting tooth and nail, but eventually still lost to her opponent by a close shave of 1-2. Lastly the game ends with Karyn, a new but fully spirited player, who maintains an easy lead of 3-0! I can almost see the beaming confidence in the players' faces, and how they are only going to do better and better! The darts team then went beaming with confidence into the next round with the score of 4-1 against Hall 3!

After lunch, the team was fueled with more energy and ready to throw their little missiles into the target. Hwee Teng was facing against a tough competitor, hence it came to an end with a score of 3-0, but the team was not let down at all! It was touching to see how all team players were encouraging each other, and that is the real Hall 4 spirit! They never let one loss affect them, and hence they continued their winning streak, with a final triumphant score of 4-1 against Hall 16! Hooray to Round 3 too!

For Round 4 however, Joel, Zhi Xiong and Karyn lost by a close shave with a score of 1-2, but Captain Qi Sheng did his very best and managed to win a 2-1. The match ended with 1-4 against Hall 10. However, I must still say that the Darts teams have done our hall proud and today would be the answer to whether they'll be qualifying for the semis, let's wish the Darts Team - Tang Qisheng, Joel Kwek, Derwin Tang, Ivan Lim, Zhi Xiong, Karyn Lee, Yu Ting and lastly Hwee Teng all the best!

IHRG DARTS - 19/12/2011

Hall 4's dart team crushes opponents to emerge as TOP in the scoreboard. 3 more matches to the semi-finals. Give them your full support people!

Next Match will be at 10am, 20th Dec (Tomorrow), Hall 8

Do head down and support the team! Best of Luck Darts Team!

IHG Hockey - Hall 4 Vs Hall 3 19/12/2011[Written by LEE CHEW YAN]

It was raining monga (okay, cats) and dogs and it was the perfect weather for snuggling under the blankets. While you might be snoozing away in the comfort of the weather, the hockey team was drenched in rain and perspiration as they battled for integrity and honour for Hall 4.

Everyone anticipated a tough match ahead, up against Hall 3, who had missed the championship marginally at the sudden death segment against Hall 7 last season. Additionally, the existence of two national players in their team further strengthened their forces and chances.

And sure enough, it was one just as tough as expected, or perhaps even more so with the chilly weather further acting as a deterrent. The first shot-in by Hall 3 took place like lightning; sprouting from a high ball loop into their attacking zone which was then swiftly transformed into a swift goal attack with adept dribbling and passes. The slippery grounds gave rise to repeated falls as our players stretched their sticks to the maximum to trail the opponents and block their shots. Nevertheless, our boys picked themselves up quickly and resumed with the game play. The first shift ended, with two goals conceded.

As the game advanced, we witnessed a gradual improvement in our team's synergy. A better defensive play was put up to prevent the spread from widening. More good passes were witnessed and while they might have unfortunately been intercepted by the opponents, our players were fast to react to thwart them from capitalizing on their chances. The team had done relatively well in containing the goals in this second shift, with only one goal conceded until the last second of the game. The match eventually ended with an overall score of 4-0, with the final goal scored in at the last second upon Hall 3's second short corner opportunity in a row.

Albeit feeling cold and weary, the boys had undoubtedly set fire to the rain with their unwavering spirit and perseverance. While they might have lost the match today, their fate has yet to be sealed. Victories for the subsequent two matches will similarly qualify them for a place in the quarter finals. I will hereby urge all residents to come down to show these warriors your support for the following two matches!

To the hockey team: In the meantime, rest well and get geared up to show us all a spectacular performance at your next match on Wednesday! (:

IHG and IHRG Schedule for Monday, 19th Dec 2011

Hockey Female (10am @ NIE)

Tennis (10am at SRC)

Hockey Male (5pm @ NIE)

IHRG - Darts 11am @ Hall 8

GOOD LUCK TEAM HALL 4!

IHRG - GRAND FINALS! WRITE UP BY NG SIANPEI

A total of five matches consisting of three snooker games (each consisting of three frames each) and two 4-ball games were played against hall 15 during the finals. Commencing at 1 p.m., it was a tough battle that lasted for 5 hours.

Hai Qiang was up for the first snooker match. Accidental fouls by our player allowed our hall 15 opponents to take the lead and eventually winning the first frame with a score of 95-8. They also won the second frame with a score of 101-26, claiming victory over the first out of the five matches.

Derwin's 4-ball game at the next table was an intense one. Although he managed to lead with a score of 22-10 initially, his opponent managed to match up and their scores tied at 36-36. Despite Derwin's efforts, Hall 15 managed to win the second match with a total score of 126-80.

The next two matches (Snooker and 4-ball game) being played by Zhong Leong and Ivan were critical. Hall 15 needed just 1 more win.

Zhong Leong was able to quickly widen the score gap during the first frame, leading at 26-12, and further maintaining it at 43-17. Multiple fouls by his Hall 15 opponent also gave him an upper hand in the game. With carefully crafted shots, he was able to finalize the first frame with a score of 61-33. During the second frame, he and his opponent met with a tie of 8-8, and later 9-8 with Hall 15 leading when the opponent managed to pot in 1 red ball. However, Zhong Leong came back strong and led with a score of 23-15. His composure allowed him to win with a score of 44-26.

Current standing: Hall 4 (1) : Hall 15 (2)

Over at the next table where the 4-ball game was on, Ivan led the game with a score of 76-42, he then further widened the score gap to 88-45. Although tough shots were issued, Ivan was determined to maintain his lead. He finally clinched the match with a final score of 126-91.

Hall 4 (2) : Hall 15 (2) it is anybody's game. Qisheng was up next.

The strong Hall 15 opponent managed to lead the first frame of the match with a score of 17-8. It was a tight match as Qi Sheng was able to turn the tables slightly around and lead with a score of 18-21. Scores later remained stagnant as both sides produced shots, which made it difficult to pot the red ball. Hall 15 managed to pot the red ball but Qi Sheng was not threatened by this act. He followed up by potting another red and then the blue ball, following closely behind his opponent with a score of 33-31. His opponent repeatedly tried to make him pot the pink ball(second last) when their scores were 33-50 so that he would lose the match. However, Qisheng was able to see through his opponent's tactic and instead tried to snook the white ball behind the black ball so that his opponent will incur a foul.

But to the his disappointment, his opponent managed to win the frame with a score of 45-50.

The second frame saw Qi Sheng taking the lead at the start. However a foul by Qi Sheng allowed the opponent to catch up and then their scores tied at 14-14. The opponent continued to lead at 23-15, but Qi Sheng once again managed to close the gap and take over the lead with a score of 30-31. Emotions were high. The crowds issued woos and haas which incurred several warnings from the Umpire. However at the very end of the game, a missed cue by Qi Sheng allowed Hall 15 to gain points and win the second frame with a final score of 47-35. With that, they were able to claim overall victory whilst Hall 4 clinched 2nd place.

It was indeed an exciting, yet intense and tiring match for both the players and supporters. Sportsmanship was clearly observed, with apologies given when lucky shots were made and silent taps were given when great shots were performed. It was definitely commendable and a great job done by our snooker boys! Well done, Hall 4 snooker team - Ivan, Zhong Leong, Qi Sheng, Jun Jie, Joel, Derwin and Hai Qiang! We are proud of you! :)

IHRG - SNOOKER SEMI FINALS! WRITE UP BY NG SIANPEI

The Hall 4 snooker team was definitely in tip-top condition this morning as they managed to win all three matches and enter the grand finals to compete for the snooker championship. Despite the intense and strong competition from hall 16, their determination and perseverance earned them a spot in the Grand Finals.

The semi finals earlier this morning against hall 16 proved to be pretty smooth for our players Derwin, Ivan and Zhong Leong.

During the two 4-ball games, both Derwin and Ivan maintained a comfortable lead throughout the match. Derwin took the match with a score of 44-27 and Ivan claimed victory with a score of 70-42. Over at the next table, the snooker game was in progress. Initially, Zhong Leong was leading with a score of 8-0. However, his opponent managed to catch up and they were even out at 10-10. Zhong Leong came back strong and finalized the score at 40-10.

Winning three straight matches boosted not only the players', but also their supporters' confidence as Hall 4 proceeded to the grand finals against Hall 15.

IHRG - SNOOKER TEAM TO THE SEMIS! WRITE UP BY TOH MEISIEW

Hall 4 was up against Hall 12 in the quarter finals. During the 4-Ball games, Ivan led throughout the game and finish off with a score 56-49. Derwin kept his composure despite the close score of 39-38 at the second last cue, he eventually claimed victory with a sore of 42-38.

The team moved on to their game of snooker with Hall 12. Zhong Leong won over his opponent effortlessly, with a score of 21-6. However, at the other table, it was not that smooth-sailing. Up against a formidable opponent, Hai Qiang put up a great fight and displayed great sportsmanship, taking advantage of every free ball to score. Hall 12 claimed victory over that match, with the score of 22-95.

Overall, Hall 4 won 3 out of 4 matches and qualifed for the semi-finals.

All the best to our Snooker team in the upcoming matches!

IHRG - SNOOKER Quarter Finals [14/12/2011]

Snooker Quarter Finals will be held at Nanyang House, 715pm, Wednesday.

Do head down to Support our Snooker Team! We will meet at the podium at 7pm!

All the best to our Snooker Team!

IHRG - SNOOKER [12/12/11] WRITE UP by LEE CHEW YAN

“There isn't a smooth-sailing plot in any film”, Snooker Captain Ivan Lim told us with a firm smile as he looked at us in the eyes. “Trust me, you are in for a good show.”

I can never forget the beaming confidence in his words and his determination to show the supporters' trip worthwhile. Indeed, it had not been a good morning for Hall 4 today. The first round against Hall 10 commenced at 9 am. Waking up for it was already much of a chore for us nocturnal creatures on its own. To make things worse, Lady Luck haughtily chose not to patronize us since the start of that set. Narrow misses by mere angle degrees, bounces off the corners and fouls that gave opponents an upper hand at the game, left all of us, players and spectators included, impatient and flustered.

Yet, there is nothing that can take our snooker players down. They are certainly not last year's champion, for nothing.

Lunch was the fuel and a focused persevered mind steered the wheel.The second round against hall 1 kicked start promptly at 1pm. Our boys were all out to fire with their cues and snooker balls. Derwin did us proud by concluding his four-balls game with a score of 83-18, of a spread difference of 65 points. At the other table, a fierce match was staged between Ivan and his hall 1 opponent. A turning point occurred midway when the opponent went on a winning streak at his 12-point juncture and continued to close in the spread difference between him and Ivan. At the final cue, the score was 34-36, with Ivan leading with a mere 2 points on hand. All eyes were on them and the tension built-up was immense. I swear I almost had a heart attack. The opponent took a shot, missed. The score was still 34-36. All Ivan had to do was to hit a ball without incurring a foul and win the game. Ivan breathed deeply before he took his shot. The blue ball rolled swiftly down the corner pocket and won silent cheers from all of us. The game ended neatly with a score of 36-41. Overall, our second round finished with three wins and one draw, thus bringing us to the next game, which was critical in determining our affinity with the quarter finals and so forth.

The third round against Hall 13 took place immediately after the closing of the second round and had certainly proved itself to be no less intriguing and nerve-wrecking than the latter. The first two games concluded with us leading by a score of 20-66 and 34-42. All we need is just one more win to advance to the next stage of the tournament. The critical match starred Zhong Leong, who confessed that he was disappointed with his performance for the prior two matches. The opponent led initially with a score of 9-2. Ivan's prophecy of a twist in plot showed itself once more when Zhong Leong amassed a break of 8 points at his visit to the table. As I said it, I knew the Real Zhong Leong was back and he sure did not disappoint. He continued to show great focus and precision at potting, winning breaks of 5 to 9 points at each of his next four visits to the table and several silent taps on the table to applaud his great performance. At the last fifth minute, only one red ball remained on the table with several other colored balls edging riskily at the corner of the table. For approximately three to four turns, both player exhibited great skill and control to manoeuver the red ball to touch the other coloured ball slightly at the corner without putting themselves at jeopardy of fouling. Such defensive and sabotaging moves aroused the crowd in seconds and the referee had to call out several times to warn the spectators to watch out for their volume. The red ball was finally removed off its risky spot and potted. The exciting match concluded with a score of 45-15.

After seven hours of tough fight, Hall 4 successfully moved on to the quarter finals. Let us applaud Ivan Lim, Derwin Tang, Zhong Leong, Joel, Qisheng and Jun Jie for staging such captivating performance that is much akin to Mediacorp's classic show [The Unbeatables] , as promised by Captain (or perhaps, Director) Ivan Lim. We look forward to more unbeatable exciting feats from the Snooker Team. Awesome job and all the best!

For more photos, click here