Team Bath's netballers made a winning start to their ZEO Superleague title defence with a 59-45 victory over Team Northumbria at the University of Bath Sports Training Village tonight.
Northumrbria opened at pace and troubled the hosts by taking the lead three times in the first five minutes.
Both Billy Bowers, back in the Team Bath squad after a seven-year absence at goal-defence, and goal-shooter Rosie Allison were penalised multiple times for contact.
Team Bath steadied themselves and worked back into the game, pulling ahead for the first time at 5-4.They finished the first quarter 15-8 up, with the change in momentum coming at 8-7 through a series of flat and fast-paced passes to create openings for the shooters to convert.
The home side then hit a purple patch. In a blur of blue and gold they stormed into a 20-8 lead, then 24-12 before going in at half-time 30-16 up.
"It was a really good patch with some great ball speed and good decision-making," said Team Bath Coach Jess Thirlby.
Thirlby gave 16-year-old Summer Artman her debut at goal-keeper for the third quarter as Bowers was rested and Stacey Francis moved to goal-defence. New skipper Serena Guthrie moved to centre and Scarlett Williams came on at wing-defence with Ritchie at wing-attack.
After such a surging second quarter the home side looked more pedestrian and fallible in the third. Northumbria seized their opportunity with some flowing and resilient play to win the quarter 16-12, cutting the deficit to 42-32 with 15 minutes to play.
Thirlby said: "We talked in the break at half-time about keeping the momentum and it was a bit disappointing that we dropped off a bit in that third quarter but I felt it was right to make the changes, putting Summer on to make her debut and feel what it is like at this level and I thought Scarlett Williams came on well at wing-defence."
The head coach reverted largely to her first-half line-up for the final quarter. And the champions saved the best until last, with Rosie Allison producing a string of long-range shots to see Team Bath home by a 14-goal margin.
"I was really pleased with the girls tonight', said Guthrie, who put in a strong performance in the mid-court. "We finished it off well and that will give us some momentum going into next week. There are some things that we can work on and it's the beginning of the season so we have time."
Thirlby added: "Respect to Northumbria. They played well and we knew that they would be a slicker outfit than previous sides from that franchise".
Team Bath are at home to Manchester Thunder on Friday, February 7 (6.45pm).
"This is probably going to be the hardest year for me in term of selections, the competition for places is so high," said Thirlby. "That's a great place to be, but it's going to give me some headaches."
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
