Ultimately, they overcame their first-day nerves to win their opening match of this season’s CD Phoenix Regional League 54-27, but a more experienced team overcame them 44-38 the following day.
Still, new coach and development officer Naomi Szmierek marked it off as a promising start to their new campaign.
‘We should have had two wins,’ she said.
‘We had it in our hands, basically.
‘Really proud of the girls – first away weekend and they were all nervous.
‘They had a tough season last year, and had some rough results, and I could see they were nervous. But once they got the first 5min. out the way, they played some really good netball.’
Panthers grew into the first game against a youthful Beds side at Flitwick Leisure Centre, where opening exchanges proved well-contested as shown by a 9-9 scoreline at the quarter.
But Panthers began to step it up in the second to gain a 20-17 lead at half-time.
In the second half, they got a run on their opponents and played with great confidence, dominating the following period 15-5 and then putting in an even stronger finish.
Guernsey played with the same seven throughout and produced a strong defensive performance, including debutante Allegra Slater holding GK for a whole match.
Another highlight came with vice-captain Ella Staples, with all her years of defensive circle experience, producing high conversion rates at GS. She fittingly shared player of the match with captain and dynamic C Charlotte Hill.
If not for costly errors in the final quarter, then they could well have backed that up the following afternoon.
Panthers clawed back from an initial deficit to win the opening quarter 13-9 and appeared to be in command of the game.
The Sarnians stretched their lead to 23-18 at half-time.
In the second half, Panthers made a few changes and gave court time to the wider squad.
They were six ahead going into the final quarter, and yet they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, taking away just one league point from the match.
Bryony de Garis earned POM after another strong game at GA.
‘We don’t get a lot of practice going goal for goal,’ Szmierek added.
‘That’s really good for the girls.
‘It’s about being comfortable being uncomfortable in these pressure situations.’
