St. Vincent and the Grenadines national senior female netball team, Vincy Jewels, were clinical on Friday, defeating the British Virgin Islands 91–13.
The Jewels led in all quarters 25–04, 49–06, 70–10, and 91–13, to register their third victory in four matches to date.
Goal shoot Mary-Ann Frederick netted 71 goals from 74 attempts; goal-attack Shellisa Davis scored 6 from 7; Joseann Antoine 7 from 9; and Kristiana Christopher 6 from 7.
For the British Virgin Islands, Sakena Cooner scored 6 from 7 attempts, Ruth Robin 5 from 10, Caroline Gordon 1 from 2, and Clital Russell also scored 1 goal from 2 attempts.
Many spectators expressed the view that the Vincy Jewels should have tried to reach the 100-goal mark.
“It’s not about achieving 100 goals. It’s about ensuring that we worked on our quick transitions,” Natasha Baptiste-Samuel.
“And if the 100 had come, we would have been happy. But it was never about just going out for 100, but to be strategic in terms of how we transition on court. How we apply that solid defence. So that we can continue successfully for the rest of the tournament.”
She pointed out that the players “for the most part” stuck to the game plan that was agreed upon in the dressing room, adding, “I am pleased that they adhered to what we asked them to do.”
Baptiste-Samuel added that Vincy Jewels must have a strategy for each team.
“So what we would strategise for Barbados or another team, it would be a different strategy for the BVI, and that’s what we did.”
Taking nothing for granted, the Vincy Jewels head coach went on to state: “It seems to be a tournament that’s open to everybody. So I don’t think that there’s room to be relaxed. We just have to go out, play to our game plan, and then leave the rest to see what happens.”