Adasha Norton executed brilliantly in the circle to carry Fire Service to a 57-34 victory over Bermudez in their Championship Division playoffs match in the Courts All Sectors Netball League on Thursday evening.
Playing at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena, the goal-shooter scored 52 goals from 65 attempts to help the unbeaten Fire unit take closer aim at the title after advancing to the final with the 23-goal victory.
The fire officers posted an early 20-4 first-quarter lead and sustained their pressure in the second quarter to lead 34-13 at the half. Norton with goal-attack Pearl St John (4/7) doing well to feed her, kept up her accuracy as Fire outscored Bermudez 13-10, to lead 47-23 at the start of the final quarter.
Fire Service was hoping to enjoy a final quarter stroll but Bermudez, which had slotted in Indra Anderson as the goal-attack replacing scoreless Abigail Boswell (0/0) to partner with goal-shooter Makeda DeFreitas (27/35) narrowly out-shot its opponent, 11-10.
Fire Service also made a change in the circle, substituting St John for Lee Ann O'Brien but she just netted one of her seven tries. However, the change did not affect the outcome as the Fire unit earned the right to battle for the crown next Saturday from 2.45 pm against Open Campus.
Goal-shooter Shaniya Morgan was at the forefront of the close win, netting 21 in 36 leaving UTC to rue giving up the win after leading at the end of each quarter, 11-8 in the first, 21-17 at the half and 28-24 in the third.
For the losing side, goal-attack Liliah Matthews scored a match-high 22 of 36 and gained support from goal-shooter Crystal Cockburn with 11 from 20 but the Sparks was undone 12-7 in the fourth and final period after leading throughout.
Akeila O'Neil was used in the goal-attack position and she scored the other two goals from as many tries but in a losing effort. UTC will now face off against Bermudez for third place ahead of the final at 1.30 pm.
The league, which is in its 30th year of existence, was to change mode this weekend hosting its Fast 5 Festival in each of the four divisions, but due to the closure of the venue by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs as a precautionary measure to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, has been postponed.
Results
Bermudez 34 (Makeda DeFreitas 27/35, Abigail Boswell 0/0, Indra Anderson 7/12) vs Fire 57 (Adasha Norton 52/65, Pearl St John 4/7, Lee Ann O'Brien 1/7). Quarter scores: 1st. 20-4 2nd. 34-13, 3rd. 47-23 (All in favour of Fire).