Record-breaking Nerine pass the century mark

THE hundred-point barrier has been broken. Defending champions Nerine A passed the netball league milestone as they beat Ship & Crown 105-19.

The result came on the back of two wins last weekend for Nerine A in National Clubs League Division Seven.

'They were just motoring and up for it; the girls were still buzzing after the weekend,' said coach Gill Queripel.

She said that the scores were normally around 60 or 70 goals. On average, there was a goal every 29 seconds.

'It's quite a big score, but at no time did Ship & Crown ever give up. They played really well and showed great character. We just beat them through sheer pace, we were so much quicker.'

The gulf in experience between the two teams could not have been greater.

All Nerine A players have played for the island. Ship & Crown are playing their first season in the top division after the leagues were restructured. Never-theless, they were not depressed by the margin of victory.

'Obviously we got hammered, but everyone played really well. To be honest to score 19 goals against them was brilliant,' said Ship & Crown shooter Emma Rayson.

'We know we are going to get thrashed by six or seven teams in the top league. We go into every game with our heads up and continue fighting.'

She believed a better measure of her side's progress will be when they play the other three that have come up from the second division.

'When they got to 80 points in the last quarter they really started going for it, but it was a good game.

'Our heads stayed up and that's the essential thing, everyone fought for the ball and luckily my shooting was good.'

The two prolific Nerine shooters said they set themselves a high target, but that passing the 100-mark was never in their plans.

'After playing the national club matches, we set ourselves a target of 90,' said Jenny Jordan.

'We were lucky that so much went in. It was good shooting practice for us. But all credit to Ship & Crown: they never gave up.'

Her partner in the circle, Sonia Grant-Yendall, agreed.

'We had been away playing in a stiffer competition: when you then play a team you expect to beat, it is difficult to play to that level. But we stayed focused.

'We put them under a lost of pressure in the final quarter.'

If Grant-Yendall looked on fire, it may have had something to do with her match preparations.

She forgot the game was on and had just spent an hour-and-a-half in the gym, followed by a sauna session. She turned up at the Beau Sejour courts to watch whoever was due to play, only to find that she was.

A borrowed shirt and skirt later, she was rapidly hitting goals for her side.

'It was not the best preparation, but at least I was well warmed-up.'

Nerine A's coach said league games were still important for her side and her side set themselves targets for interceptions or turnovers in a match.

'We're going to lose three girls from our team next year, so it's going to be a rebuild for next season and it's important that we start doing that work now.'