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"The Space Fatigue Leaves Behind: The First Loss" by Tia Emmanuel

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Going into the weekend, our girls’ touch rugby team travelled to Johor Bahru for a mini-tournament and felt unstoppable, with 14 wins and 0 losses behind us. It wasn’t something we bragged about, but it sat quietly in our heads every time we stepped onto the field as we trusted each other, knew our strategy, and had grown used to winning.

On Saturday, we played Marlborough College in what was meant to be a friendly, but that friendly did not last long. From the first touch, the pace was fast, the competition was real, and we put everything out there; even without heavy contact, every touch mattered, and every mistake was costly. Still, we stayed calm, played our game, and moved the ball smoothly, with our communication staying strong as we walked off with another win.

Sunday started early with a drive to Singapore, and we were already feeling it before the first game. Our legs were stiff, and the weekend was starting to catch up with us. Marlborough stood across from us again, and somehow we found the energy to play hard; it wasn’t our cleanest game, but we fought for it and won. Next, we played UWCSEA International School’s B team, and the heat, combined with back-to-back games, quickly drained us. Breathing heavy and sweating through our jerseys, we pushed through and managed another win, bringing our winning streak to seventeen matches. It felt amazing, and we felt unbeatable, but we weren’t ready for the team we were about to face.

By the time we faced UWCSEA International School’s A team, we were completely gassed, and everyone knew they were the toughest team there. From the start, they were sharper, faster, and more composed. In touch rugby, there’s no hiding fatigue—when you’re tired, space opens up, and they found it every time. We tried to defend, stay connected, support each other, and do the basics well, but our bodies were tired and unable to respond as we wanted.

The score read 6-0 when the final whistle blew, marking our first loss and ending our winning streak at 17-1.

It was quiet afterward—no excuses, no frustration—just reflection. Losing for the first time this season humbled us, reminding us that even with confidence and chemistry, there’s always another level. As tired as we were walking off the field, that loss stuck with me more than any of the wins. It showed us where we fell short and how much we still had to grow. 

Anna Chand (12) described the loss by saying, “It was frustrating, but I’m proud of how we played, especially since it was the last game and the hardest team, but we still had a positive attitude about the whole tournament.”

We didn’t leave the tournament undefeated or frustrated, but we left determined and hungry to come back stronger and better, especially since we have another tournament against ISKL coming up.

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