SVG new queens of OECS netball

St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) defeated Saint Lucia 39-17 to take home the Gloria Ballantyne Trophy, named after the late Vincentian netball captain, manager and regional official, in the tournament decider of the 2022 Organization of Eastern Caribbean States/Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (OECS/ECCB) International Netball Series in Roseau, Dominica on Monday.

According to a statement from the Dominica Netball Association (DNA), “it was the final night of competition, and both teams, having lost to Barbados and the opportunity to gain world ranking points, now faced each other in the decider.”

“With about one minute 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the rains came, and after almost an hour of rainfall, the Saint Lucia camp in consultation with their Vincentian counterparts decided to forfeit the fourth quarter and the match,” DNA said.

“It was a decision also influenced by the number of injuries in the Saint Lucia squad,” it added. “Key player Shem Maxwell with a broken ankle, another player has a broken toe, while two other players are nursing injuries of one kind or another.”

Then, the day before, DNA said two players tested positive for COVID-19, which put six players out of the reckoning for the critical game.

In fact, DNA said Saint Lucia was forced to field one of the injured players because another player got injured during the second quarter.

The quarter scores in the game were 14-8, 28-12, 39-17, with the match forfeited in the third quarter.

For St. Vincent and the Grenadines, May-Ann Frederick scored 32 out of 48 attempts, Shellisa Davis 5 out of 9 attempts, and Zanique Vincent 2 out of 5 attempts.

For Saint Lucia Safiya Paul scored 2 out of 4 attempts, Roxanne Snyder 11 out of 13 attempts, and Aaliyah Estephor 4 out of 8 attempts, as St. Vincent and the Grenadines went on to win the second edition of the OECS/ECCB International Netball Series in Roseau, Dominica.

In the other game, DNA said Dominica defeated St. Kitts and Nevis 68-46; the quarter scores being 18-12, 19-13, 51-33, 68-46.

For St. Kitts and Nevis, DNA said Aaliyah Pierre scored 24 out of 32 attempts, Rochella Challenger 18 out of 21 attempts, and Jewel Thompson 4 out of 5 attempts, with Anna Panthier–Xavier 24 out of 32 attempts, and Vincentian-born Galeine Seraphine scored 44 out of 53 attempts scoring for Dominica.

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Feb. 17, Barbados handed St Vincent and the Grenadines their first loss of the 2022 tournament 48-42; the quarter scores were 6-12, 15-26, 31-34, 48-42, DNA said.

Scoring for Barbados, it said Faye Agard scored 23 out of 29 attempts, Brianna Holder 12 out of 18 attempts, and Latonia Blackman 13 out of 18 attempts.

For St. Vincent and the Grenadines, DNA said Mary-Ann Frederick netted 39 out of 48 attempts, and Shellisa Davis 3 out of 16 attempts.

Also on Thursday night, Saint Lucia defeated Dominica 43-26; the quarter scores were 12-9, 23-16, 32-23, and 43-26, DNA said.

Scoring for Dominica was Celena Langlais 18 out of 22 attempts, Lisa James 1 out of 5 attempts, Kyla Winston 7 out of 11 attempts, while for Saint Lucia Roxanne Synder netted 29 out of 38 attempts, Meagan Nestor 3 out of 6 attempts, Safiya Paul 11 out of 18 attempts, DNA said.

“These two matches set up a much-anticipated tournament decider for the Gloria Ballantyne Trophy, but rain and injuries proved otherwise as Saint Lucia forfeited the game in the third quarter during an almost hour-long, rain-induced break,” it said.