University of the West Indies (UWI) Blackbirds flew away with a 48-32 victory over Pride of Villa last night at the Netball Stadium thanks to national player Shonica Wharton who netted 36 goals from 45 attempts.
UWI stamped their authority and led throughout the game at 13-6, 21-15, 36-25 and 48-32 to book their place into the final of this year’s Little League Gym Netball Knockout Tournament against St Barnabas scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the Netball Stadium.
Goal-attack Rhea Holder scored 12 from 16 for UWI while Pride of Villa had the services of national captain Latonia Blackman who top scored with 19 from 24 in her role as goal-attack. Her sister Nadia Blackman who also played at goal-attack, contributed seven goals from 14 attempts. Villa goal-shooter Faith Sealy scored five from six and her team-mate Shelly Carmichael one from four.
Pride of Villa goal-shooter Faith Sealy trying unsuccessfully to make this catch.
UWI’s top goal-scorer Shonica Wharton was all smiles after the game.
Wharton wasted no time putting UWI on the score board as she scored eight from 11 attempts in the first quarter while Holder scored five from seven in the same period. Carmichael scored her lone goal of the game in that quarter while Blackman scored five of Villa’s six goals in the opening quarter.
In the second quarter Pride of Villa had a fairly good game and managed to score nine goals while UWI fell one short with eight which did not affect the University women in any way as they managed to maintain their lead 21-15 going into the penultimate quarter.
UWI upped their game in the third quarter with their chief goal-scorer Wharton coming close to perfection with 13 goals from 14 attempts which helped her team greatly; two goals also came from Holder. Latonia scored six of her team’s ten goals in that quarter but still UWI remain in the driver’s seat.
Pride of Villa changed Latonia from goal-attack to the role of goal-keeper in the final quarter and one would have thought with her experience she would have been able to keep Wharton in check but the UWI star was not about to be bogged down by Latonia whom she got around quite easily and scored nine goals from 12 attempts in the decisive quarter.