The St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Netball Team, Vincy Jewels, defeated Barbados 49–43 Saturday night in a crucial fifth-round game in the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifiers.
“We came into the game very confident. Before we left home, we said we’re not going to lose this game, and we came out victorious,” goal-attack Shellisa Davis said after the victory.
The game was a decider of which of the two teams — on 9 points each — would secure that second spot behind Trinidad and Tobago.
Shaking off a 1–4 deficit in the opening exchanges of the first quarter, the Vincy Jewels rallied strongly to take a 14–8 first–quarter lead, staying ahead into the half-time break at 25–20.
Vincy Jewels responded in kind as the Bajan Gems kept pushing, taking the third quarter 40–33.
And despite a fourth-quarter surge by the Bajan Gems before a baying and boisterous home crowd, the Vincy Jewels hit back time and time again to end the match six points ahead.
Scoring for the
Vincy Jewels goal-shoot Mary-Ann Frederick had 100% shooting accuracy – netting all 42 of her attempts, while goal-attack Shellisa Davis scored 7 of her 10 attempts.
For the Bajan Gems, Faye Agard scored 7 of 8 attempts, Kadeen Corbin scored 12 from 18 attempts, Brianna Holder netted 3 from 7 attempts, and Damia Waldrond 21 from 28 attempts.
Reflecting on the third quarter, which saw the Bajan Gems at one point equalising on 37, Davis said Vincy Jewels “had to send a message down.
“Once we realised that the team is slipping, we had to send the message and tell them what to do … and then regroup … and then take the lead again.”
Davis recalled four years ago at the October 2022 Netball World Qualifiers in Jamaica, where the team lost to both Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
She was part of that squad which placed third, missing out on a qualifying spot.
This year the Vincy Jewels are on the verge of qualifying, making Shellisa Davis “very happy”.
It was the biggest test to date for coach Natasha Baptiste-Samuel, who has faced public scrutiny of coaching credentials.
“I take criticisms as an opportunity to grow. I’m not even going to dwell on the questions that are out there. Yes, I’m the president. Yes, I’m the coach. If we had a different choice, I would not have been the coach, but we have to work with those who are available and present themselves.
“I don’t dwell on the criticisms. I use them as a stepping stone for us to build. Because my only aim is to grow netball in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and to make my country proud. That’s it.”
Cheering on their team was a group of Vincentians living in Barbados, who, though at times drowned out by the far larger Bajan crowd, kept rallying behind the Vincy Jewels.
“I am really thankful that we had some Vincentians in the crowd. They were cheering us on and pushing us. Even when we levelled up with Barbados, they were there … still shouting, cheering us on.”
In July 2022, as part of their preparation, the Vincy Jewels played the Bajan Gems in a three-match series, which saw the Gems win all of the games.
However, this year, the Vincy Jewels returned to win the biggest prize to date — defeating the Bajan Gems on their home court and at the same time moving nearer to Netball World Cup Qualification.
“It’s emotional,” the coach said.
“We came into this competition, as you know, bearing some grief. Emotionally, for me, it has been very difficult. Going through this journey here in Barbados without key persons … in my life and in our netball family,” she siad without eleborating.
“It really has been tough for me emotionally. I just want to give God thanks. I want to give God thanks because, trust me, without him, it would not have been possible.”
Meanwhile, in other matches on Saturday, Canada lost 31–52 to the USA, Grenada finally got onto the points table with a 60–26 defeat of BVI, and St. Lucia went under to Trinidad and Tobago 62–35.