AN injury to its top male player affected Army’s depth and it was relegated to fourth in the ACT 2007 men’s and women’s inter-Service squash competition at ADFA gymnasium on July 25-26.

About 90 matches were played over the two days with the matches being the best-of-three games to 15 points, with most players contesting six matches.

Matches were contested in fast and furious fashion from the outset though, ACT squash organiser, Flt-Sgt Brett Parker said the action was still furious, if not quite so fast by the end of the opening day.

Army was proudly represented by OCdts Julia Nikolic and Jasmine Richards but they were outgunned by the more experienced Navy and RAAF/APS women.

LACW Candice Bennett stayed cool in a crisis to help the Air Force/APS team win the women’s section. Her match against Leut-Cdr Jan Noonan was the decider.

The RAAF/APS combined team needed only to win to secure the title, but Navy needed a convincing 2-0 win to take first place.

In a closely contested match that included some great shots, running and determination, LACW Bennett won 2-1.

The men’s competition was won convincingly by RAAF, with second hotly contested by the Navy and the APS before the APS clinched second.

LAC Stephen Finnigan from the AFG was one of the standout players with his fearless disregard for walls and self preservation.