Captain of the Venomous Vixens, Sharlene Martin, called it right, even before the game started. ‘We will win this game by 12 goals,’ she boldly predicted. Well, she just got it wrong by two.
This, as action in the ongoing Netball tournament, being jointly hosted by the Nevis Netball Association and the Sports department, continued on Thursday 19th November, at the Brown hill hard court. As Sanford would have said it: ‘This was the big one baby!’
The two hitherto undefeated teams, in Venomous Vixens and Hurricanes, faced off on centre court. It was a capacity crowd in for the night, with spectators showing up early, to get the best seats in the house.
It was a fast-paced game and it was obvious from early that the main strategy of the Hurricanes, was to double team, ace goal shoot, Shantelle Isles, but that is when former West Indies captain, Lydia Thompson –Claxton, stepped up her game. While the star-studded defensive team, was paying attention to Isles, she took several long-ranged, stunning shots, much to the approval of the fans on hand.
It was a ding-dong battle up to the first half.
However, the Hurricanes’ wind speed seemed to have been reduced into the third quarter and the Vixens slowly but surely pulled away. The final score: Venomous Vixens 38 Hurricanes 24
Martin indicated that the Hurricanes had been reduced to a mere tropical depression, but Allister Thompson of the Hurricanes management team, is insisting that he will catch up with the Vixens in round two, which may be as early as this Saturday night coming.