Bajan lasses beat Trinis

SOLID: Nikita Piggott (left) scored 21 of 24 attempts against Trinidad and Tobago and 22 of 26 against Jamaica. (FP)

Sat, July 21, 2012 - 12:04 AM

FOR first time since the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, Barbados have beaten Trinidad and Tobago in netball.

Last night at the Americas Federation of Netball Association (AFNA) Championships, Barbados stunned the hosts, beating them 59-48 at the Jean Pierre Complex in Port-of-Spain.

Trading goals at the end of the first quarter, scores were locked 11-11 before Trinidad and Tobago took a 16-11 first quarter lead.

Barbados played an unchanged seven, sticking with Laurel Browne, Nikita Piggott, Samantha Browne, Latonya Blackman, Kizzy Marville, Shonette Bruce and RheAnn Niles.

All of the players except defenders Bruce and Niles were on the Commonwealth team.

But in the second quarter, Barbados stepped up the defence and moved to a five-goal (30-25) lead which they never relinquished.

The five-goal lead remained in the third quarter with Barbados ahead 42-37, but they outscored Trinidad and Tobago 17-11 in the final to increase it to 11 goals.

Laurel Browne, one of the most accurate shooters in the competition, scored 38 goals from 40 attempts and Piggott added 21 from 24.

Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are now in joint second place. Barbados’ final match will be against St Lucia today, while the hosts will take on unbeaten Jamaica.

The previous night, Barbados plunged to their first loss, against Jamaica, 37-65.

Jamaica, using their speed and accuracy, jumped ahead 16-11 after the first quarter and then leapt to a 40-16 half-time lead, behind a second quarter 24-5 blowout.

Barbados had their best period in the third quarter when they outscored the Jamaicans 13-11 to trail 29-51, but the Jamaicans stepped up the tempo in the final stanza to put the seal on the encounter. (SAT/CMC)

Goal shoot Jhaneile Fowler led the Jamaicans against with 52 goals from 54 attempts while goal attack Anna-Kay Griffiths supporting with 13 from 17 attempts.

For the Barbadians, goal attack Nikita Piggott finished with 22 from 26 attempts.