T&T’s Shaquanda Greene-Noel picked up another “Player of the Match” award in her Celtic Dragons 49-44 loss to Team Bath in the Vitality Netball Superleague at the Sports Wales National Centre in England on Monday.
The win helped Team Bath strengthened their grip on the fourth place while the Dragons remain in the 10th-spot in the 11-team competition with two matches to go before the end of their season.
In the first quarter, the Dragons forced Bath to make several errors and got to a 5-0 lead early. With 10 minutes to go in the session, Dragons led 6-1.
However, Bath did not stay down for long and won the ball back and got a run of goals, which brought them back to within two goals. Bath brought the scores back levelled with three minutes remaining and it was all to play for in the remaining minutes of the first quarter. Layla Gusgoth and Greene-Noel both won balls back for their squads, but it was Team Bath that took a slight lead (14-12) going into the second quarter.
Dragons started the centre off once again and they patiently worked the ball into the shooting circle to get the scores within one goal. Both teams stepped up the defensive pressure with intercepts one after the other, coming from Gusgoth, Imogen Allison and Clare Jones. Dragons got the first goal and settled the play with a goal which got the home team back to within one.
The momentum shifted after every intercept and neither team could score. Bath added one more to their score and took a three-goal lead with six minutes remaining. Greene-Noel once again got an intercept and Lefebre Rademan finished the playoff with a sweet long shot to bring the Dragons back to two goals in this exciting match.
Annabel Roddy kept the Dragons’ momentum going and got another intercept in the Bath attacking third, but the Dragons could not get the goal that would narrow the scores to one. Bath changed their team once again. With the ball swinging Bath’s way again, they took the score out to five goals. Roddy tried to help Dragons get the score back within five with an intercept, but the buzzer beat them.
To start the third quarter off, Laura Rudland made way for Shona O’Dwyer in the goal attack position for Dragons. Phumza Maweni flew for the ball and got the intercept for Bath off the Dragons’ centre pass. They added two more to the board to start the quarter off with a score of 20-27. Dragons settled into the third quarter and got a goal on the board.
Greene-Noel continued where she finished in the first half with another tip, but the ball fell into Bath’s hands. Another tip and collection for Greene-Noel, but she just put a toe out of court! Dragons gained momentum and the possession with a breaking call from Bath. Dragons centre pass followed and they got the scores back to within six goals. The team effort from the Dragons, allowed them to get back within five goals with two minutes to go. Dragons missed the opportunity to get back within four goals with 10 seconds remaining with a tip from Gusgoth.
In the fourth quarter, the pressure came from Dragons to start the quarter as they gained possession from the Bath centre pass! They got back to within three goals. Greene-Noel got the offensive contact and let out a big scream of joy as Dragons get closer to Bath.
Georgia Rowe helped with her team’s defence and got the possession back for her team. Hannah Leighton with her huge vertical jump kept the ball in for Dragons, as they get the goal and stay within reach of Team Bath.
Dragons players were not giving Bath an inch as they tried to get the scores even closer. A turnover came for Dragons and they got back to within five with a minute remaining. Dragons could not push past the five-goal barrier that Bath created as the final whistle sounded.
Greene-Noel and her Dragons will next face Strathclyde Sirens in their final home game on Saturday.
