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I don't think I'll be able to articulate in full what I witnessed this afternoon at the ACS(I) swimming pool... but I'll try my best.

It all started the day before when I was about to knock off from work. If I hadn't got a meeting for the sydney trip to attend to at the high school staff room, I wouldn't be at the staff room. If I hadn't got the need to collect my namecards, I wouldn't pop over to the counter after the meeting. And If I hadn't popped over, I wouldn't have been offered a packet of food to eat (left over from some function).

The weirdest thing. Instead of throwing away the empty styrofoam box in the staff pantry's bin, I went off in a rush with the box... and went up to the second floor to throw instead... remembered that there's a bin there.

Sandra was there at one of the benches with Junxian and Yauxuan probably discussing some project matters... I was about to walk off after throwing the rubbish when she stopped me to talk.

I must say I've never gotten the sunken heart feeling in a long time... She told me about the situation today at the pool when the boys lost to RI by a goal. Knowing some of them personally kind of made it more personal, like, more sunken.

It sank further when she told me which team the team's up against the next day. The team needs to win by five goals or more to qualify for the finals.

She asked me to get prepared to talk to them just in case... Messaged some of them along my way out... then decided to witness the match itself. Texted boss to ask for permission... permission granted.

And so I went with them this afternoon to ACS(I). They encountered some hiccups even before boarding the bus... and along the way there all was quiet on the bus. Not quite sure what went on their mind... but I guess the need to win by such a margin against a formidable foe... it can be quite a daunting thought. Prayed for them.

The stretching... the warm ups... it was initially scorching hot. Then dark clouds started to loom. The match started... the boys fought hard. Really hard.

They led the scoreboard all the way - there were moments the opposition fought back... it boiled down to 6 - 4 in the last 30 seconds. And it ended with that score.

There was pretty much silence as the team came out from the pool... the solemnity was a bit deafening, ironic as it sounds. Hearts were heavy... winning by two goals might not have been enough. We'll all know pretty soon when the other teams have played the rest of their matches.

But seriously. They played like winners today. They gave their best. They fought. The last photo on top topped it off. Sandra didn't care about the rain either and joined them in it.

I'm sure she's utterly proud of them... and I share the same sentiment.

Never stop fighting guys.

;)