By Marvin Lowe
St Margaret’s GD Rachella Tamara jumps to block a pass. (Photo 1 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Yishun Sports Hall, Tuesday, March 10, 2009 – In a close encounter, Raffles Girls’ School held off St Margaret’s Secondary 22-18 to win the C Division South Zone Netball Championship.
St Margaret’s run to the final was nothing short of a fairy tale. They had knocked out defending champions CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) by one goal in the semi-final. But they were up against a challenge against RGS who had beaten them earlier in the preliminaries.
Both teams were even in the early exchanges until a turnover by St Margaret’s allowed RGS to capitalize to take the lead. RGS extended their lead to three points and entered the first quarter break in a comfortable position.
In the second quarter, RGS committed a series of turnover errors to allow St Margaret’s to creep back into the game. Excellent defensive work by St Margaret’s saw them intercept passes and hassle the RGS shooter, forcing them into committing errors.
The St Margaret’s defenders limited RGS to only two points in this quarter while their shooters piled on the goals, scoring four in a row at one point. This allowed them to take a surprise one-point lead going into the half-time break.
RGS tried their best to fight back in the third quarter but St Margaret’s were resilient, disrupting the rhythm of the RGS team. St Margaret’s Wing Defense Suriya stood out with her hassling of every RGS player, chasing down loose balls and trying to intercept passes. St Margaret’s ended this quarter with a 5-4 advantage.
With time running out, RGS came bursting out of the blocks in the fourth quarter. They upped the tempo of the game and moved the ball quickly to their shooters who nailed their shots. Within minutes of starting the last quarter, they drew level with St Margaret’s and regained their lead.
RGS put up a stifling defense, knocking away and intercepting passes. RGS gradually built a comfortable four-point lead and kept the St Margaret’s attacker at bay, limiting them to only three goals to wrap up a 22-18 victory.
Suriya from St Margaret’s knocks the ball out off the hands of RGS GA Rebekah. (Photo 2 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Evangelyn Koh from RGS hangs on to a pass. (Photo 3 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
St Margaret’s GK Danielle Choong jumps to block a shot. (Photo 4 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
St Margaret’s WA Desirae Goh awaits a pass. (Photo 5 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS C Evangelyn Koh intercepts a pass meant for Shannon Low of St Margaret’s. (Photo 6 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Rachelle makes herself as large as possible to block the ball. (Photo 7 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
St Margaret’s WA Desirae clings on tight to the ball. (Photo 8 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Suriya makes contact with an RGS player as she catches the ball. (Photo 9 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Evangelyn Koh from RGS trying to knock the ball out of May Yin’s hands. (Photo 10 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
St Margaret’s GD Rachella defends. (Photo 11 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GA Rebekah jumps to block the pass. (Photo 12 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GD Joy Wong knocks the ball away from the St Margaret’s players. (Photo 13 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS WA Merissa Boh fails to hang on to a difficult pass and Suriya from St Margaret’s prepares to swoop in. (Photo 14 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GS Richelle Er stretches for the rebound. (Photo 15 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GA Rebekah Yeo jumps to catch a difficult pass. (Photo 16 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Suriya from St Margaret’s in the thick of the action again, knocking the ball away from an RGS player. (Photo 17 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GK Jaslin Loh tussling for a rebound. (Photo 18 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
May Yin from St Margaret’s catches the rebound. (Photo 19 ©Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GS Richelle hangs onto a rebound from her own missed shot. (Photo 20 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
RGS GK Jaslin prepares to block out May Yin from St Margaret’s for the rebound. (Photo 21 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Leave A Comment