Ravens triumph in B final

Anthony Minott, Gleaner Writer

Spanish Town-based Ravens 'B' used their superior tactics to triumph 30-24 over Bridgeport United in an all-St Catherine final of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA)/Western Union Division B League at the Leila Robinson Courts on Sunday.

"We really had to chop and change this side but in the end, it worked out," coach of Ravens B, Christopher Smart, said after the game.

Smart added: "We came with a secret weapon where we switched Sanya Douglas from goal defence to wing attack and it caught our opponents off guard. But apart from that, we were the better team and we rested a few players in the third quarter and once they came fresh in the fourth, I knew Bridgeport could not match us."

Ravens 'B' were led by their goal shooter Janiece Thompson, who scored 17 goals from 23 attempts, while goal attack Novlette Vassell supported well with 13 goals from 16 tries.

Bridgeport's goal shooter Trudy-Ann Pennant, netted a game-high 21 goals from 33 shots, while captain and goal attack, Yanique Lee, scored three of six tries.

Quarterly scores

Ravens 'B' won with quarterly scores of 7-6, 15-12 and 22-19.

Between the last part of the third quarter and the middle of the fourth is where Bridgeport lost the match. They switched goal attack and captain Levy to wing attack and surprisingly used a non-shooter, Shelly-Ann Leonard, in the goal attack role, as a passer.

Ravens 'B' quickly captalised and double-teamed the sole pure shooter, Pennant.

The Most Valuable Player of the final, Sasheni Clarke, did a good, aggressive job on the lanky shooter that limited her shots.

Bridgeport's coach, Ordean Blair, said Pennant was not catching the ball properly and it cost her team.

"I believe she didn't catch the ball well. We had replacements but I allowed her to continue the game and have fun.

"I accept the second place. Despite the loss, the team did a good job. It's the first time we are playing in a JNA league final and we thank God for that," she added.

Ravens 'A' had lost in the Division A final the week before, so it was a fitting finale for the club.