Ship & Crown hopes sunk despite Queripel on form

THE play-offs provided a fittingly exciting climax to an excellent Summer League season. In the women's first division, Ship & Crown were the only team to win all their first-round games, thanks mainly to some excellent shooting from island star Claire Queripel.

They then disposed of Heritage in the semi-finals to set up a meeting with Soakers, last-four winners over Shooting Stars.

Soakers coach Louise Bott was quietly optimistic that her girls would get revenge for their earlier defeat and so it turned out as her side won an end-to-end match 6-5. Queripel was again on form for Ship & Crown while GA Sam Tees found the net regularly for the victors.

Both semi-finals of the mixed division one were very competitive and it was Northern Trust and the Post Office who progressed through to the final with wins over RBSI and FTC respectively.

The final, although low-scoring, had everything as C Denise Bourgaize worked tirelessly, bringing the ball from defence to attack for Post Office, while Shelley de Lisle and Kees Jager were outstanding for Northern Trust.

The match finished level. Two minutes of extra time could not separate the teams and so the final went to sudden death, with Northern Trust striking the killer blow.

Cable & Wireless were ruthless in their 8-1 semi-final win over Northern Trust in the women's division two, as they set up a final against Old Mutual, winners over Blues & Twos.

The mother-and-daughter combination of Julie and Amy Wright turned the match in Old Mutual's favour as Amy popped away the goals in a 3-2 victory.

Blues and Tutus were crowned mixed division two champions after they won an end-to-end final against Specs White.

Unteachables played some delightful controlled netball to beat Reads 7-3 in the women's division three title after the sides had overcome Smarties and Any Seven respectively in the semi-finals.

Reads, though, were successful in the mixed division three final as they beat Home Again.

A young Sarnians side played some excellent stuff in the women's division four final as they avenged an earlier defeat at the hands of Rothschild. GS Leah Green and GA Anna de Carteret worked well in the circle and helped their team to a 5-3 win, much to the delight of proud coach Jane Le Tissier.

There was plenty of entertainment provided by the men's division as Northern Trust and Jamie One reached the final.

Luke Jager and Dave Toussaint worked hard to keep GA Jamie Roussel and GS James Robert from scoring and the game went into extra time before Jamie One edged it 7-5.