Jess Pugh buzzing with joy at Championship win

Pugh and women's doubles partner Li Lian Yang could do little to prevent Team Derby's Lauren Smith and Kate Robertshaw in winning the opening event of the Championship Final, falling in straight sets.

But it proved to be a mere blot on the night as a whole, as victories in the next three events saw University of Nottingham captain Chris Adcock lift the trophy with a 3-1 scoreline.

And for Pugh, triumph in the final was the perfect reward for the team's hard work, both on and off the court. "It feels amazing but I'm disappointed not to contribute to the win," said the Telford player.

"As a team, I think the team spirit was amazing, our attitude towards the match was amazing and the crowd were amazing too.

"I'm absolutely buzzing, we all are! I've really enjoyed playing this season, we've been winning a lot which has been great.

"The AJ Bell NBL really helps to develop you as a player, you enjoy playing and trying new things, and you've almost got nothing to lose.

"I'm really, really happy that we've finished the season with the win. At Championship point, all I could think was 'don't fall over the barrier when you run onto court', we knew when we won those first two games that we had it."

University of Nottingham had never reached the Championship Final in previous seasons, but rectified that fact in style following a blistering campaign on the court.

And while Pugh was thrilled to add the AJ Bell NBL title to her ever-growing medal collection, there was one person for whom the team wanted to lift the trophy.

"We all wanted to win it for ourselves, but also for our coach Martyn Lewis and the University of Nottingham of course," she said.

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