It was Fire Service's lowest scoring match for this year's competition but that did not prevent the defending champion from completing a flawless season to take the Premiership Division league title in the Courts All Sectors Netball League.
Fire met the Police Youth Club (PYC) in its final 2019 league match on Saturday evening at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Tacarigua and emerged with a hard-fought 31-28 win.
The shooting combination of Ronald Phipps and Simone Morgan were made to work for each goal but they functioned well enough to have Fire ahead at the end of each quarter, 8-5 in the first, 18-16 at the half and 24-20 in the third.
Phipps, the goal-shooter, led the attack with 19 goals from 28 attempts and goal-attack Morgan, a former national shooter, did well to feed the ball to her shooter while adding the other 12 goals from 19 tries.
The PYC netballers will rue their missed opportunities, having taken more attempts at goal than their opponent, 57 compared to Fire's 47. Tahirah Hollingsworth shouldered most of the PYC's load at 52 per cent, hitting 22 from 42.
Fire though, must be applauded for being able to duplicate last year's performance in again playing unbeaten thanks to the contribution of each member including Garbrel Selman, Martinez Holder, Daystar Swift, Sanya Jarvis, Fiona Holder, Ayana Hamlet, Jellene Richardson, Andrew Johnson and utility player Onella Jack-Hill, who was wore a number of bibs throughout the season instructed by coach Joel Young-Strong.
The national player prospered in every position, from shooter, centre-court and defender to ensure a successful run for her team, who finished with 20 points, six more than closest rivals PYC and Defence Force, which each ended with 12 points. However, PYC placed second with a better goal difference, 95 to Defence Force
In the other matches played in the division, Defence Force claimed its seventh win of the season beating Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) Sparks, 33-27 and Police edged Las Lomas Academy by three goals, 45-42.
In the Championships Division which closes off today with a double-header at the same venue, TSTT topped Jabloteh, 37-22 and Bermudez beat Defence Force, 37-31.
Results
Premiership Division
Fire 31 (Ronald Phipps 19/28, Simone Morgan 12/19) vs PYC 28 (Tahirah Hollingsworth 22/42, Fabrice Fisher 6/15). Quarter scores: 1st. 8-5, 2nd. 18-16, 3rd. 24-20 (All in favour of Fire).
UTC Sparks 27 (Oresha Joseph 0/1, Cavel Forrester 11/16, Aquila Blugh 16/34) vs Defence Force 33 (Afeisha Noel 16/28, Crystal George 3/12, Kerry McMillan 14/25). Quarter scores: 1st. 7-5 (D Force), 2nd. 17-15 (UTC), 3rd. 24-21 (D Force).
Las Lomas 42 (Raquel Russell 7/15, Immanuel Russell 4/13, Akeela Rodriguez 5/12, Keon Russell 26/30) vs Police 45 (Steve McSween 37/59, Jillisa Allan 8/15). Quarter scores: 1st. 10-7, 2nd. 20-11, 3rd. 29-26 (All in favour of Police).
Championships
TSTT 37 (Kamila Sobers 23/45, Curlene Samuel 2/3, Kanika Paul-Payne 12/18) vs Jabloteh 22 (Samantha James-Lewis 0/2, Zakiya McKenna 18/26, Giselle Hobson 4/11). Quarter scores: 1st. 8-4, 2nd. 17-11, 3rd. 25-19 (All in favour of TSTT).
Bermudez 37 (Maked De Freitas 27/39, Kerneisha Greenidge 10/19, Anteneille Charles 0/2) vs Defence Force 31 (Melissa Snaggs 11/25, Makeda Pierre 20/30). Quarter scores: 1st. 10-6, 2nd. 20-17, 3rd. 30-21 (All in favour of Bermudez).
Today's matches
Championship Division
Bermudez vs Miscellaneous, 5.30 pm
Defence Force vs Jabloteh, 6.45 pm
Final 2019 Division Standings
P*T*P*W*D*L*F*A*GD*Pts
1*Fire*10*10*0*0*422*287*135*20
2*PYC*10*7*0*3*388*295*93*14
3*D Force*10*7*0*3*355*340*15*14
4*UTC*10*3*1*6*329*388*-59*7
5*Police*10*2*0*8*370*444*-74*4
6*Las Lomas*10*0*1*9*330*446*-116*1