ORA Winter League 26/27 Week 6

The ORA Winter Netball League entered week six of the competition this week as ladders across the four divisions begin to settle.

Determined to pick up their first Division 1 win of the season, St Saviours A faced a strong Accies B side, who were also searching for their first victory.

St Saviours A came out firing, taking a comfortable 16–5 lead by the end of the first quarter. Accies B refused to back down, making defensive changes that increased the pressure, but Saviours remained composed and continued to find their rhythm. With plenty of options through the centre court, clever tactical movement, a dynamic defensive duo in the D and accurate shooting, Saviours extended their lead to 27–9 at half-time. Accies B continued to battle hard, showing determination with strong mid-court play and impressive shooting. However, St Saviour proved too strong, maintaining their momentum throughout to secure a convincing first win of the season at 52-23. Player of the Match for St Saviour was Olivia Montez Brown, while Megan Jerrard picked up the accolade for Accies.

Also in Division 1, Accies A and St Clements A started off neck and neck in the first quarter before the purples pulled ahead with increased shooting accuracy from Accies’ Emmi Brown and Emiliy Dove with great feeding into the circle from WA and Player of the Match, Poppy Hughes. Accies’ centre court trio worked well together pushing the ball forward with Gabby Scott gaining several fabulous turn overs. St Clements GA Megan Hamilton was a well deserved Player of the Match for her side, creating space and sinking some fine shots against Accies’ tight circle defenders Molly Ryan and Siobhan Le Moignan. An injury upset the parish side’s defence and opened the door still further for Accies to storm ahead and take the win at 51-30.

A top-of-the-table clash saw Convent A quick to stamp their authority on the game, with Leah Griffin and Madison Fitzgerald Wilkins dominating space and scoring high percentage of their goals. Molly Carre was outstanding in defence consistently intercepting ball to provide more opportunities for Convent for score. The partnership of Molly Carre and Jodie Blampied was top drawer as they confused the space, switching players and sides resulting in forcing the ball off the goal line.

Jacy Brown’s insight to spot the feed to her shooters was inspirational and lit up the game. Millie Pratt and Layla dos Santos commanded the centre court through court attack and using their defensive skills to turn ball. Convent’s Player of the Match, Florence Kelly, continuously readjusted to find space in the goal third giving her feeds from circle edge. The speed of the ball for Convent was sublime, giving them a 63-33 win over their opponents.

St Lawrence’s Player of the Match, Imogen Taylor, was solid in defence and linked well with Jo Woodham GK.

In Division 3, a strong performance from table-toppers St Brelade B’s attacking end really shone, working cohesively to win some fantastic ball and secure a win against their club mates, St Brelade C.

St Brelade C persevered throughout, with Suzhanie Van De Merwe and Sabrina Van Rooyen working tirelessly in defence. Suzhanie earned a well-deserved Player of the Match for her outstanding pressure and determination. St Brelade C worked hard to move the ball through court but found it difficult to convert possession into feeds into the shooting circle against a strong St Brelade B defence. Libby Barnett picked up the Player of the Match award for B, linking the middle and expertly feeding into her shooters. Despite the score, St Brelade C are continuing to develop combinations while working with limited numbers each week. Every game brings valuable lessons and opportunities to grow. The team’s commitment, energy and willingness to keep showing up and working together is something to be proud of, and they’ll take plenty of positives into the next fixture.

Also in Division 3, St Lawrence D fought hard but lost 36-24 to St Clements C in a competitive match. St Lawrence stayed in touch early, trailing 11-8 after Q1 and 16-14 at half-time, before St Clements pulled away to lead 25-19 after Q3. St Lawrence’s defence worked tirelessly to intercept and reduce scoring chances, but St Clements’ attacking third showed excellent movement throughout. Isla Parker again held her own in the shooting circle alongside Corbiere Cargo, although St Clements’ defence was strong and used great leans to disrupt shots. Hallee Fitzgerald-Wikins was a key player at WA and C, feeding beautifully into the circle and using space well. St Lawrence’s Player of the Match was Captain Merri De Gruchy, superb in defence before switching to GS in Q4, linking well with Isla to create space and chances, then moving to WA to allow Corbiere back into the circle.

In Division 4, a fantastic fightback from St Saviour C ended in a close finish against St Lawrence E. After a challenging first quarter, St Saviour showed real determination and resilience to battle their way back into the game. Tactical changes in defence helped turn the momentum, with increased pressure disrupting St Lawrence’s attacking flow and creating opportunities to regain possession. St Saviour’s Player of the Match, Ruth Sheehan, brought versatility to the game, linking her players to keep the score close. Bringing Ruby Smith on to support in the shooting circle also strengthened our attacking options, helping the team build momentum and find their rhythm. St Saviour continued to work hard, support one another and fight for every ball, showing great character throughout the match, although it was St Lawrence who took a four-goal win at 28-24.

An exciting Division 4 game between St Ouen C and table-toppers Accies E had both teams taking control at points, with St Ouen C showing real potential in their combinations on court. Both teams initially took time to settle, however some impressive movement from Accies’ joint Players of the Match Thea Toudic (Centre) saw the ball moving swiftly into Daisy Fisher (GA) who netted shots with ease. St Ouen were fantastic in defence, blocking out their talented opponents at points through the teamwork of Lisette Grenyer and Adrianne Clyde-Smith. At the other end, Emily Hopkins was instrumental under the post for the parish side, keeping the scoreline ticking. St Ouen’s Harriet St Pier was versatile, supporting her team in both attack and defence, with Megan Kearsey and Katherine Wilson finding opportunities to turn the ball over. Despite a well-fought game, Accies ran away with the score in the final quarter, ending on a 32-25 win.