TeamBath v London Pulse Netball - 11/04/2022 - www.claregreenphotography.com
Round 12 of the VNSL season saw high-scoring action, smooth skills and a shuffle in the standings. The fifth round of the ANZ premiership saw the first extra-time of the season and the third week of Suncorp Super Netball had Vitality Roses going head-to-head attempting to secure wins for their clubs.
Here’s how the Roses fared in all competitions at the weekend…
Vitality Netball Superleague
Team Bath captain Imogen Allison took the first centre pass in her team’s fixture against Surrey Storm on Friday.
After a high-intensity start for the Bath side, they led by four goals with two and a half minutes played, but not to be ruled out, Storm responded in style, adding 11 goals to their tally and at the end of the first 15 minutes, the score was 11-15 in favour of Team Bath.
Sophie Drakeford-Lewis made her mark on the match, both scoring and creating chances, she amassed 25 goals and 17 feeds for her side.
Layla Guscoth also played her part in keeping Storm at bay, forcing seven turnovers and four interceptions.
After an hour of action, it was Team Bath who secured the win, finishing the match 41-66.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was level between Saracens Mavericks and Celtic Dragons with both teams matched on 13 goals.
Mavericks applied the pressure in the second quarter of action and netted 20 against Dragons, securing themselves a ten goal advantage as they entered the halftime break (33-23).
Razia Quashie’s vital interceptions and turnovers for her side helped to keep Dragons at bay.
In the fourth quarter, Mavericks’ Gabby Marshall took to the court, her speed and vision helped them to seal the deal as they ended the match with a 55-46 victory.
Manchester Thunder continued their unbeaten streak after scoring highly in their match against Severn Stars at Belle Vue.
Thunder’s Laura Malcolm took the first centre pass in their matchup which ended 78-53.
Natalie Metcalf recorded an incredible 38 feeds which assisted teammate Eleanor Cardwell in scoring 25 goals.
Strathclyde Sirens travelled to the Allam Sports Centre to face Leeds Rhinos in their Monday Night Netball fixture.
Rhinos’s Jade Clarke took the first centre pass and as both teams aimed to bounce back from their Round 11 defeats, the tempo was high from the offset.
After 15 minutes of action, Rhinos trailed by five (10-15).
The second quarter of play saw Clarke switch roles from centre to wing defence and Brie Grierson assumed the position of wing attack.
Going into halftime, Sirens had stretched themselves to a 26-31 lead despite the defensive pressure from Vicki Oyesola who earned four deflections and a couple of key turnovers for her side.
It wasn’t meant to be for the Leeds side, at the end of the match, Sirens took the win (44-60).
Looking to continue their winning ways, Team Bath Netball travelled to the Copper Box Arena to face London Pulse.
Team Bath started quickly with some clean passes up the court from the hands of captain Imogen Allison which were fired into the circle with precision by Sophie Drakeford-Lewis.
At the end of the first 15 minutes, Team Bath held the lead (16-8).
The second quarter of this matchup was a display of end-to-end athleticism, Zara Everitt played her part in making life difficult in front of goal for the visitors, she notched five interceptions and five turnovers while and at the other end of the court, Olivia Tchine was converting her shots well to add to the goal tally.
Drakeford-Lewis continued to show her all-around ability, she totalled 15 feeds and earnt four turnovers for her side.
At the halfway stage, Team Bath led by six (26-20).
After the break, both teams took to the court once again with Jess Shaw replacing Allison at the centre position.
Pulse moved the ball around well with some expert vision from Ellie Rattu but they struggled to find Tchine in the circle due to the defensive acumen of Layla Guscoth who recorded six interceptions and six turnovers for her side.
At the end of a high-intensity hour of action, Team Bath had stretched their lead to 21 goals and earned themselves a place in the top three on the table (62-41).
ANZ
In the first match of the ANZ season to go into extra time, George Fisher’s Southern Steel side secured the win in nail-biting fashion.
At the end of the fourth quarter, home side Central Pulse and Southern Steel were tied on 59 goals each but after some fluid movement by Steel, they were able to stretch a two-goal advantage which saw them secure victory (61-63).
Fisher played her part in ensuring her team came out on top, she converted 47 of her 50 attempts infront of goal.
Suncorp Super Netball
In the third round of the SSN season, Jo Harten’s Giants Netball travelled to the John Cain Arena to face Melbourne Vixens.
Harten earned 25 goals and five assists for her side but at the end of the fourth quarter, it was Vixens who took the win (64-52).
Helen Housby’s NSW Swifts came out on top in their fixture against Geva Mentor’s side Collingwood Magpies.
Mentor put on a brilliant defensive display totalling seven gains for her side but it was Housby who made the greatest impact on the match, she sank 43 goals (four of which were Super Shots).
At the end of the match, NSW Swifts took the win(75-45).
At the halfway stage in the matchup between Eboni Usoro-Brown’s Queensland Firebirds and Stacey Francis-Bayman’s side West Coast Fever, Firebirds led by two goals.
West Coast Fever were once again joined by training partner Chelsea Pitman, who with 18 feeds and 12 assists, played her part in helping Fever to overcome the goal deficit and secure the win, at the end of the match, Fever led by eight goals (69-77).
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