BUPA Luxol 69
Hibernians 58
(14-6, 17-12, 28-21, 10-19)
Willie Vassallo
Luxol: CJ Cordina, M. Matijevic, M. Sjoberg, N. Vasovic 16, J. Maistre Melillo, JP Schembri, K. Dimech 12, W. Ahlberg 29, D. Schembri 4, K. Meyer 8, S. Cappello
Hibs: R. Vella 7, P. Attard, K. Caruana 6, L. Farrugia, S. Attard, I. Bonett, S. Vella, A. Axiaq 9, M. Matijevic 16, C. patus 12, F. Mariani 5, A. Lizaur 3
Referees: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, Z. Dobrosavljevic
The champions started on the right note, bagging the initial honour of the season, as they beat off Hibernians' challenge. Luxol had a good grip on the match from the early stages, as they went on to win the first three sessions of play, and establishing a winning advantage. The Paolites' late spurt only helped them to a more reasonable score.
Luxol were involved in no less than fourteen finals of this category before, bagging the first three of the series, and going on to win eight of them, the last in 2009. For the Paolites, this was their first ever final in this category. Athleta have the most wins, with 12 successes.
Both teams had changed sides. Luxol had two ex-players returning home, as Nicola Vasovic and Dirk Schembri again donned the Luxol colours. They had Jared Meyer as their new American, as he pulled down a number of rebounds.
The Swede, William Ahlberg, was still with them, this time also as the skipper, and he emerged as the man of the match. Marco Mercieca could be termed as retired, only being on the bench, and with him there was Nigel Sultana, who is still to be registered later on. Hibs had a more changed side.
They kept the Spaniard, Alvaro Lizaur, this time as local foreigner, with the Canadian, Chad Patus, signing for them. Marco Matijevic is now playing as a local, and they had two new locals with them, in Roderick Vella and Anton Axiaq.
Luxol opened with a 6-1 lead, after the opening point by the Paolites, who then tied the score, with a brace of Matijevic hoops.
Till the end of the session the champions had opened up a better advantage, with an 8-0 run, and Meyer obtaining the last six points.
In the next session, the triples started to go in. Lizaur and Mariani put in two for Hibs, with Vasovic making his, for Luxol, in between.
The champions then made a 7-0 run, as Ahlberg and again Vasovic netted triples. They were stopped by an Axiaq free shot for the Paolites, but Vasovic sank a further triple for the champions. Late points for Hibs reduced their deficit, but Luxol were still leading by a good 31-18 score, at the interval.
After the break, Hibs had Patus and Vella making their points, as they reduced their disadvantage further, but then Ahlberg began to let loose for Luxol. His points, with three further treys, and more points from Vasovic, Keith Dimech and Dirk Schembri, had the Paolites reeling.
The start of the last period had the champions on a solid advantage, with a 59-39 score.
Hibs had their pride and they began to gnaw away at their deficit, despite more Ahlberg hoops for Luxol. It was Matijevic and Axiaq pulling the Paolites back in contention, but time was against them, and the champions made doubly sure with late points mainly from free throws, to win this honour for the ninth time, after a lapse of eight seasons, when Athleta dominated with six successes from the last seven editions.
After the match came the presentation, from the MBA President, Paul Sultana, to the new Luxol skipper, William Ahlberg.
Gzira Athleta win the women's Super Cup
BUPA Luxol 60
Gzira Athleta 64
(16-16, 10-12, 24-21, 10-15)
Luxol: S. Pace 21, C. Borg Millo, I. Baena Medina 7, N. Vella 1, A. Plummer 6, K. Portelli, V. Mateos, P. Ellul 7, C. Sollami, M. Darmanin 4, C. Curmi 10
Athleta: M. Pollacco, B. Zammit 9, S. Pisani, L. Duncan 7, A. Simmons 29, D. Said Hollier 2, A. Borg 4, J. Schembri, S. Vella 6, E. Pace, C. Mifsud 7
Referees: B. Vassallo, E. Mangani, I. Simic
Athleta stopped Luxol's firm grip on this competition, and won it for the third time, also avenging their loss to the Violets, last season, in this Super Cup.
The Luxol lasses had a good record, winning the initial honour, in 1991, and then taking a good grip these last years, winning the last six consecutive editions, making it eight wins in all, out of 12 finals.
Athleta had emerged victorious twice in the nineties, and then were losing finalists twice more, later on. They featured in last season's defeat by the same Luxol. The club with the most wins is Hibernians, with nine successes.
Back to the game, which was close all the way, after an initial good Luxol start. American Amelia Simmons, with another season for Athleta under her belt, was the player of the match, helping her side to overcome their opponents, who have lost the strength of Steffi DeMartino, now in new pastures, at Depiro.
The new Luxol American is Ashanti Plummer, yet to find her new bearings, and German coach, Christoff Stolp, returned to his former love.
Luxol's new captain is now Sarah Pace, after the retirement of Mandi Mercieca. She worked tirelessly, but still finished up on the losing side.
Athleta also had a major missing face, in Christina Grima, who seems to be having a sabbatical, and has yet to feature in the Athleta side.
The champions had a bright start, as Paula Ellul and Sarah Pace sank triples, along with a brace of hoops from Christina Curmi, to establish a 10-2 advantage.
Athleta gradually got back in the match, as Simmons opened her account, and Beverlee Zammit netted her first trey. Plummer also made her first points for the champions, but Athleta managed to tie the score, before the end of the opening session, as skipper Leanne Duncan, with a changed surname after her marriage, last month - formerly Sciberras - grabbed a triple.
In the next session, Zammit thrust Athleta in their first lead, with her second trey. Luxol were back, and Pace's series of free throws had them regaining their advantage, which didn't last long, as Athleta managed a three point lead.
More Pace free shots had Luxol on a tie, but Sharon Vella opened her personal score, with a couple of free throws, with Athleta going in at the interval on a slight advantage, at 28-26.
After the break, Simmons kept Athleta in front, with her points, but a second Pace triple again tied the score for Luxol. Athleta bounced back, on a better advantage, but a 7-0 Luxol run, ending with another Pace trey, overturned the score.
Simmons netted an Athleta triple, also, but Ina Baena Medina points, with a trey, established another Luxol lead.
It was then Athleta's turn for a 7-0 run, with a third Zammit trey, but two late Luxol hoops had them leading 50-49, going into the last session.
Athleta went back ahead, and this time they didn'e relinquish their advantage, with Luxol hot on their heels for the remainder of the encounter.
It was Simmons with the bulk of the Athleta points, as they held their noses in front. It was then left to Antoinette Borg to apply the finishing touches, with her late points, and deny the champions a seventh consecutive success.
After the match it was the St. James Hospital CEO, Maria Bugeja, who made the presentation to the Athleta skipper, Leanne Duncan, as they started off the new season with the first honour.