Netball 1sts impress in victory over Teesside
Team Sunderland Netball 1sts made it three consecutive league wins with a strong first and final quarter proving the difference.
After trailing by six at half-time, Teesside 1sts enjoyed their best spell of the game and held a four-point lead at the end of the third quarter – but the now-rested Abby Cass and Lucy Brooks re-entered the game and switched the momentum.
In the first quarter though it was Georgia Turnbull who proved the difference with a multitude of feeds breaking the Teesside defence apart allowing Ella Trott and Sophie Hutchinson to open up an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The highlight of the opening 15 saw Hutchinson, who started proceedings as goal attack, intercept a Teesside pass before feeding quickly into Trott to record an assist and begin a positive spell for Sunderland.
Though Teesside came out on the front foot after the short break to reduce the deficit to three, Sunderland soon re-found their form, in no small part to substitute Megan Cowan who recorded four intercepts and a rebound in a strong defensive display.
From centre, Brooks added another four assists to her four in the first quarter, while Hutchinson’s 11th score of the quarter came right on the buzzer ensuring that the six-point lead was still in place at half-time, with the score 30-24.
A slow start on the scoring front saw the game tied at 30 apiece with eight minutes and 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and with six minutes to go Teesside took a one-point lead which they would continue to build upon with the score 34-38 in their favour heading into the final 15.
It was at this point that tactical changes were made, with both Cass and Brooks following their instructions to a tee in centre and wing attack respectively, with Hutchinson taking her spot in goal shooter and Turnbull in goal attack – while an electric defensive performance from Cowan and Ashley Kamga got the crowd roaring.
Conceding just four in the final quarter, Kamga added three interceptions, one rebound, and one deflection to her tally, while Cowan progressed the ball up the court quicker than Teesside could handle as the offensive end got the job done with a seven-point cushion opening up by the end of the game.
Eight assists for Brooks and four for Cass helped Hutchinson to her highest-scoring quarter with 13 making her tally for the evening 34 – but it was the fitness and speed of the game in the final 15 that was beyond Teesside’s capabilities in what appeared a comfortable end to the game with momentum wholly behind the home side.
Sophie Hutchinson: 34 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 interception
Ella Trott: 13 points, 6 assists
Georgia Turnbull: 2 points, 11 assists
Lucy Brooks: 17 assists, 4 interceptions
Megan Cowan: 2 rebounds, 7 interceptions, 1 deflection
Ashley Kamga: 3 rebounds, 6 interceptions, 1 deflection
Abby Cass: 4 assists, 3 interceptions
Elspeth Callaghan: 1 point, 1 assist
Katie Roberts: 1 assist
