The 2024 ECCB International Netball Series ends on Sunday in St. Lucia with defending champions Grenada clashing with St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) — Vincy Jewels — at 6:30 p.m. in the championship’s final match.
“We are taking one team at a time. It’s one apple at a time on the tree,” goal-keep Kaywanna Charles said of the upcoming clash with Grenada.
Charles said she knows the Vincentian public is expecting a victory, adding that she is fully aware that Grenada defeated Vincy Jewels 34–33 to take the 2023 title in Antigua.
Vincy Jewels cannot allow history to repeat itself, Charles said.
“We are well prepared. We have been training very hard,” she said, adding that with the Cayman Islands defeated, “It is now time to see what Grenada apple would be like.”
The 56–41 victory over the Cayman Islands was the sixth for consecutive for Vincy Jewels in this year’s tournament.
It was a tough first half with Cayman Islands winning the first quarter, 15–12 and Vincy Jewels grinding their way to end the second quarter 23–all.
Vincy Jewels then secured a three-goal third-quarter lead at 38 – 35 before winning the match at 56–41.
Kay Copeland kept the pressure on the Vincentians in the shooting circle, scoring 34 out of 44 attempts, with Rose Wilson scoring 6 out of 10, and Meleshia Josephs 1 from 3.
Leading the victory charge for the Vincy Jewels was Mary-Ann Frederick who netted 40 from 44 attempts and Kristiana Christopher, 16 from 18 attempts.
Following the penultimate round of matches on Saturday, the unbeaten Vincy Jewels occupied the top of the table with 12 points, scoring 439 goals with 179 goals scored by the opposing teams — a goal difference of 260.
Grenada is in second spot on 10 points, having 1 loss from their 6 matches, scoring 372 goals with 170 goals scored against them — a difference of 202.
St. Lucia is third, having suffered 2 losses from their 6 games, scoring 363 goals and conceding 208 — a difference of 155.
This is just absurd to hold such a tournament in such heat and discomfort and see the situation a being normal. People in sports have no choice but to stay in this backward situation while the ULP keep borrowing money and failing at everything.