Joce helps Southampton end jinx
FORMER Cuestars member Dave Joce was part of the University of Southampton team that ended its three-year semi-final jinx and has finally been crowned British champions.
The lads “stepped up when needed” at the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Championships in Leeds.
Skipper Tom Foley has seen his side lose to the eventual tournament winners in the last-four for the past three seasons.
“We did it!” declared the delighted 26-year-old. “It’s a great feeling to have finally won it after knocking on the door for so long.
“Every player stepped up when needed. I’m very proud of the lads.”
Foley and Joce – along with Alex Lo, Anuruddha Higgoda and Johnny Follows – won all four group-stage matches at the Northern Snooker Centre.
They beat Manchester 8-2, Nottingham 2 9-1, Birmingham 6-4 and Imperial (London) 8-2.
The captain won a play-off frame against Warwick in the quarter-finals when the scores were locked at 5-5.
And they saw off Queen’s University Belfast 6-2 in the semis and Exeter 3-1 in the final.
A BUCS organiser said: “It was a superb display from the deserved winners.”
World Snooker coach Tim Dunkley, who has worked with the squad for four years, told Foley he was “thrilled to bits”.
Picture by Weronika Nowicka: University of Southampton, from left: Dave Joce, Alex Lo, Tom Foley (capt), Anuruddha Higgoda, Johnny Follows.