CHIJ Toa Payoh Marchés their way to B Division netball title

Story by reader Erwin Wong. Photos by Marvin Lowe/Red Sports.

Bedok Sports Hall, Friday, April 17, 2009 - With the core of the team from last year's C Division title winning netball team, CHIJ Toa Payoh marched their way once again to the B Division crown this time with a 27-15 win over Nanyang Girls' High School today.

Or you could say, they marchéd their way to it.

"We celebrate our National titles by going there to eat. It's a tradition," explained CHIJ coach Miss Kok Mun Wai. "But there is only the one at Vivocity left, so we will be going to there," she added, referring to the closure of two of the Marché outlets at The Heeren and Suntec City locations. The popular restaurant serves Western, European and Swiss cuisine.

Before the treat could materialise, there was the little issue of securing the title. The two teams played each other just four days ago in the quarter-final group stage, with CHIJ winning easily 41-20. But it was much closer this time.

"We played much better this time round," explained Nanyang team captains Cheryl Lee and Chin Yu Xuan. "Our defence improved and there was much more communication today."

CHIJ coach Miss Kok attributed the reduced margin of victory to anxiety which a National final brings. "It was the occasion and atmosphere of it all. The girls got a little nervous."

It was certainly a much-eyeballed affair, what with the cameras of Mediacorp's The Schools Nationals trained on the match as well as the presence of other media. But if their nerves were jangled, the CHIJ players showed scant evidence of it as they slowly gained control of the match.

Goal Shooter Vanessa Orlati was in fine form, going 7 of 8 in the first period and converting consistently all throughout the match despite the best efforts of Nanyang's Goal Keeper Foo Zheng Liang. A huge 7-0 run bridging the first and second quarters handed CHIJ a 12-3 lead, on their way to a 15-7 advantage at half time.

As it turned out, this eight-point margin would be as close as Nanyang would get in the second half. They started the third period with a steal, but could not retain possession after that as Vanessa scored again. Continued resolute defending from Zheng Liang, Yu Xuan and their fellow defensive thirds restricted CHIJ to only three points in the quarter, but their opposite numbers kept up their mid-court dominance as well, with CHIJ Centre Diandra Chua pulling the strings.

The chemistry between the CHIJ players was evident and the highlight play of the match was a superb four-pass move from their own basket right into Nanyang's defensive D. Though Goal Attack Petrina Chia failed to convert the shot attempt, CHIJ had already extended their lead to 22-12 at that point.

"The strength of this team is their teamwork and understanding," said Miss Kok. "Many of them have been playing together since Secondary 1, and they know each other's movement and timing."

CHIJ proceeded to see out the match and clinch the title, but they weren't the only team wearing wide smiles and jubilant grins on their faces after the final whistle.

"We are very happy because we have put up a good fight today," echoed Nanyang’s Cheryl and Yu Xuan happily. When asked to sum up their 2009 campaign which has seen them advance from the quarter-final round only on goal difference, and then proceed to beat a heavily-favoured Singapore Sports School team in the semi-finals, they replied, "We are fortunate and blessed to have been given many chances, and we treasured them."

Nanyang will have nine of their 12 players graduate from secondary school this year, but of their seven starting players, CHIJ has six in Secondary Three. The other teams in the 2010 B Division Netball Championships have been warned.

In an earlier match, Dunman Secondary School edged out Singapore Sports School 22-21 to finish third overall.

Scoring breakdown by quarter
CHIJ v Nanyang
1st Q: 7-3
2nd Q: 8-4
3rd Q: 3-3
4th Q: 9-5
Final score: 27-15

Shooting accuracy
CHIJ: 27/37 (73.0%)
Nanyang: 15/27 (55.6%)

CHIJ Lineup
C: Diandra Chua
WA: Ang Kah Hui
WD: Tay Shi Pei
GD: Wendi Lai
GK: Jamie Seah
GS: Vanessa Orlati
GA: Petrina Chia

Nanyang Lineup
C: Cheryl Lee
WA: Ang Qing Ying (1st-2nd Q), Wong Liyi (3rd-4th Q)
WD: Cherynn Tan
GD: Chin Yu Xuan
GK: Foo Zheng Liang
GS: Neo Hoon Suan (1st-2nd Q), Evelyn Tan (3rd-4th Q)
GA: Evelyn Tan (1st-2nd Q), Neo Hoon Suan (3rd-4th Q)

NB: Redsports thanks the students from the respective schools for getting us the lineups.