Ozanne bows out on a high note

A BEAMING Joan Ozanne took extreme satisfaction in ending her playing career on a tremendous high on Sunday. The Nerine E captain led her side to victory over Jersey's Convent D in the match-up of the islands' Division Two champions at Beau Sejour.

'We had to play well and pull out all the stops,' said Ozanne, who will now concentrate on umpiring and coaching.

'The whole team were superb,' she added.

Convent D started brightly as GS Emily Sumner and GA Fabienne Pigneon soon found their range. But Nerine E pulled back as their young shooters Kirsty Young and Elka de Carteret overcame their nerves to start popping in the goals.

Energetic GD Cassie Le Page made many timely interceptions to stop the Convent shooters from widening the gap, which meant Nerine E finished the first quarter just one goal behind 8-7.

Although Convent gradually pulled ahead in the second, Nerine's determination and the experience and guidance shown by Ozanne got them back into the game and the home side went into a 20-13 lead.

The strong defence of Larissa Rabey and Le Page made it increasingly difficult for the Convent shooters, while the centre court of Jo Brehaut, Ozanne and Lisa Martin worked tirelessly to get the ball to the on-form shooting partnership.

Nerine went into the half-time break 23-15 ahead.

It was a goal-for-goal start again in the third quarter.

Convent had made a few changes at half-time bringing on former island player Debbie Pitman at WA, moving Kathryn Miller to GA and Fabienne Pigneon to GS, which seemed to give the attack more confidence and they started to close the gap.

By the end of the quarter, Nerine's advantage had been reduced to four goals, 32-28.

The final period saw Convent's shooters level the score and ensure a nail-biting finish.

Le Page play her heart out in defence making yet more timely interceptions and also getting several rebounds.

She fed out well to the centre court players, who in turn fed the ball into de Carteret and Young. They kept their concentration and nerve to keep popping in the goals.

It was enough for their side to emerge 38-36 victors.

'Elka was shooting superbly and Kirsty was not missing much either,' said Ozanne.

'But it was a fantastic team effort with some lovely flowing moves and I am very proud of them.'

In the Division Three 'Upton', it was a very nervous and tense start by Heritage Two against Jersey's St Lawrence C side.

The latter took the early lead and several elementary mistakes in the Heritage defence soon allowed St Lawrence to go into a 6-2 lead.

Towards the end of the first quarter, GS Ali Guillou found her confidence and started to pop the goals in from around the circle but it was not enough to close the gap and St Lawrence took the first period 11-6.

The visitors began the second quarter as they ended the first, their WD Katie Silva and GD Eloise Martyn making many timely interceptions as Heritage tried to get the ball into their shooters and the Jersey team pulled further ahead.

As in the first quarter, it was the basic mistakes from Heritage which were the telling points and it was unsettling for them.

The height of GK Tara Falla was an advantage in the circle for the rebounds when St Lawrence did miss, but the half ended with Heritage 20-12 behind.

The St Lawrence shooting partnership of Sarah de la Cour and Lorna Morris were on fire in the third quarter and there was nothing the Heritage defence could do to stop the influx of goals.

The shooters were well fed by the strong centre court play of Silva, Liz Luis and Lynne McAllister.

Although Heritage worked hard and did get the ball down to Guillou, who managed to convert the few shots she did have, it was not enough to close the ever-widening gap.

The fourth quarter started with Heritage 10 goals behind and hopes of a comeback when GA Lyndsey Torode scored first proved short-lived. St Lawrence soon pulled that goal back and eventually came out out winners 40-25.