TEAM Saint Lucia launched their campaign on Monday night with a dominant performance, defeating Antigua & Barbuda 31-7 in the ongoing Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball Tournament held at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados.
Saint Lucia excelled in the center court, limiting their opponents to just 13 goal attempts—of which they converted a modest 58.3 percent. In contrast, Saint Lucia’s shooting was far more precise, finishing with an impressive accuracy of 73.8 percent.
Captain Naija Ferdinand led the team with 22 goals from 29 attempts (76%), displaying a stellar 7-for-8 performance in the final quarter. She was well-supported by Hailey Nervais, who made all her attempts (5-for-5), Clarise Nervais (4-for-8), and Aska Kendra (4-for-5).
After establishing a 5-1 lead in the first quarter, Saint Lucia extended their advantage to 14-4 by halftime. The lead grew to 19-6 after third quarter before a dominant 12-1 final period which secured a comprehensive victory.
Head coach Shem Maxwell anticipates an even stronger performance from the team in their upcoming matches.
The 21st edition of the Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball Championship officially began on Sunday, featuring 15 intense matches to determine the regional champion.
The challenges ahead are significant, but Team Saint Lucia is prepared to rise to the occasion.
The schedule for Team Saint Lucia’s upcoming matches is as follows:
– April 8: vs. the Commonwealth of Dominica
– April 10: vs. defending champions Barbados
– April 11: vs. Grenada
– April 12: vs. Trinidad and Tobago.
Opening Night Result: Barbados defeated Antigua and Barbuda with a score of 46-7. Quarter scores: 11-2, 22-3, 32-4, and 46-7.
In Game No. 2, Grenada displayed their skill by defeating the Commonwealth of Dominica 34-19. Quarter scores: 7-4, 14-7, 21-15, and 34-19.