Defending champions C.O. Williams Rangers needed to dig deep to hold off UWI Blackbirds in Division 1 action at the Netball Stadium on Saturday night.
The Rangers rode to 3-0 record with a 44-36 victory thanks to a 32 of 37 shooting performance from veteran Olivia Walcott who was wearing the goal shoot bib.
The pint-sized Shakeena Rock was solid in sinking 12 goals from 19 attempts at goal attack.
Although the Blackbirds showed incremental improvement, they once again flagged and fluttered in the second half of the game with the midcourt almost walking as Rangers picked up some steam to gain more breathing space.
Goal shoot Monique James enjoyed one of her better games with 26 of 33 while St Lucia national player Mechelle Liburd sunk ten of 13.
The Blackbirds matched Rangers point for point for a while, but the speed and leaping ability of Tyneisha Rowe, Sabreena Smith, Janelle Sealy and Rhe-Ann Niles created the difference as Rangers enjoyed ten more chances at goal – 56 shots – than the Blackbirds. Furthermore, the Blackbirds underused Liburd even though Niles was constantly in James’ space.
Jehlesal Brathwaite and Alicia Harding defended strongly in the shooting circle for UWI but the class of Walcott and Rock could not be denied.
Damisha Croney who last campaigned for knockout queens Pine Hill St Barnabas was a standout at wing attack. Wing defence Taressa Howell and goalkeeper also Harding played skillfully in mid court.
After trailing by just one point (11-10) in the first quarter, UWI locked the scores at 16 and continued in that vein up to 20 at the end of the second quarter.
The Blackbirds squandered their chance to take charge after Walcott missed successive shots at 21-22 but Niles cleaned up once again at the end with an interception to stop UWI from opening up a bigger lead.
After catching their opponents at 25, Rangers then moved to a third-quarter advantage of 32-28 with the 12-8 goal difference earned in that quarter being repeated in the final quarter for Rangers to tune up for today’s clash against Guardian General Pride of Villa at 7 p.m.
St Barnabas who are 3-0 will battle Rangers on Friday while the key basement battle between Blackbirds (0-4) and Phoenix Gems (1-2) takes place on Wednesday. Spooner’s Hill are 2-1.
