The Senior Netball girls had a fantastic first fixture back against Dartford Grammar School on Wednesday 26 February. The squad was a little thin on the ground due to Year 13s on MOCKs and some illnesses and injuries, but the girls certainly put up a good fight with only 14 players!
U18A vs Dartford Grammar School (16-24 L)
The U18A had a great game! They started off well, working effectively together as a team, moving around the court and having some fantastic shots on goal. They were in the lead 8-5 by the end of the first quarter. During the second quarter, Dartford stepped up their game and we had a few unlucky misses at goal, which meant the quarter ended 12-13 to Dartford. At this point it certainly could go either way. In to the third quarter and the lack of fresh legs started to have an effect on the game. A few unlucky turnovers meant the quarter ended 15-20 to Dartford. The girls kept their spirits high but unfortunately the tiredness really settled in during the final quarter and one of the team then sustained an injury. This finished the game slightly earlier with the final score at16-24. Player of the match was awarded to Ujanah for her superb interceptions and movement around court.
U18B vs Dartford Grammar School (15-16 L)
The U18B had the challenge of playing inside for this fixture where they were faced with a slippy surface and hot conditions. They started off strong and took a 7-1 lead after the first quarter. The pace of the game from both sides was very fast which lead to many interceptions being made. The second quarter finished with the team ahead by 11-7. Moving in to the second half of the game, the defence had some tough battles to win back the ball. Once again the tiredness had started to settle in and with no subs, it made it even harder for the girls to maintain the pace of the game. A few unlucky misses in the shooting circle meant the third quarter ended 15-13. We were still in the lead but Dartford came back on the court with a final burst of energy and the scored the winning goal in the final 90 seconds. The game finished with a 15-16 loss. Very unfortunate considering the girls were leading for most of the game. Player of the match was awarded to Lily for her epic shooting.
