Barbados/St. Vincent

 
 
 
 St. John’s Antigua/Monday April 7, 2008/Pamala Proverbs

Barbados Under 21 went under to perennial nemesis St. Vincent and the Grenadines 27-24. The defeat leaves the tournament wide open for Jamaica who easily swept Grenada 53-12.

Barbados again started weak and it was again the mid-court that stepped up their performance to keep the game close. By the end of the first quarter however St. Vincent eked out their first lead 6-5 and never looked back ruling all the intervals 13-10 and 22-17.

Goal shooter Shannon Hackett was totally out of the game. Unlike her first game form where she moved around the circle she opted to limit her game to an overhead pass, but kept on moving out of position game giving St. Vincent’s high jumping goal keeper Tonique Bowen easy interception opportunities. It was the goal attack Rhea Holder who stepped up her game hustling in the circle and making some timely passes.

In an attempt to make up for the goal shooter’s under performance coach Julie Phillips opted to sub both shooters at half time. Hackett exited having contributed just 6 of 10 and Holder 4 of 4. This change, although improving the goal shooting position as substitute Tonisha Rock-Yaw came into the game and played her heart out, left the goal attack position wanting as Shanise Jarvis put in a substandard lacklustre effort. Yaw started to dominate the circle but the attacking charge was missing and she did not receive a high level of service. She finish the game scoring a perfect 13 of 13. Jarvis was scoreless from two attempts.

The defensive area also had their problems. With gaol keeper Markayla Yearwood finding it difficult to defend the taller St. Vincent goal shooter Maryann Federick, she was substituted in the final quarter for Shanice Rock , centre Donissa Foster who until this point was the attacking play maker was also substituted. With so many new players into the game, the team fought to build a rhythm which never came. St. Vincent and the Grenadine was home free. Their shooters stats read goal shooter Maryann Frederick 22 of 27 goal attack Kimesha Antoine 5 of 5.

In other games Antigua and Barbuda lost to St Lucia 16 – 25 and Trinidad and Tobago defeated Dominica 36 -9.