PAUL-ANDRE WALKER, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA'S UNDER-16 NETBALLERS suffered a shock 26-24 loss to Barbados in the Caribbean tournament last night.
With one round to go, the Barbadians are set to top the tournament. Jamaica, the hot favourites after winning the tournament on five occasions from five tries, lost a tough battle.
With just one game to go in the competition, dubbed the Jean Pierre Under-16 Tournament, the unbeaten Barbados team will play against Grenada, who are not expected to put up much of a fight.
NERVOUS
Jamaica, on the other hand, already with a loss under their belts, have the tough St. Kitts team to play.
After the initial shock of what had happened, team manager Arlene Findlay explained what happened to the inexperienced but highly-talented Jamaicans.
"The girls were just nervous," she said of the five-time champions.
"In the last quarter when they fell down by three, they panicked and started creating turn-overs. Even the shooter, who normally stays in the circle and waits for the ball began coming out and chasing," she said.
Last night's game was a low- scoring one with turn-overs being high, as both teams sought to shut out the other.
In the first quarter, there was nothing to separate them at 6-6.
Jamaica then tried to gain some ascendancy with a 14-13 lead in the second quarter.
However, Barbados wouldn't crumble and rallied to tie the third quarter at 19-19.
The final quarter was close throughout, but the Jamaicans came under some pressure when they went down by three goals and never recovered.
Victory for Barbados today will ensure that they will be crowned Caribbean champions for the first time in a competition involving a Jamaican team. Findlay said the mood in the camp is a sombre one and that the Jamaicans now have to bounce back.
"They are very, very sad but they'll bounce back," said Findlay regarding the mood in the camp. "You win some and you lose some," she said.
In the losing effort, Christina Salmon led the way with 15 goals from 17 attempts. Danielle Ellis had four goals from six attempts, while Vannessa Walker had four from five, and Kerisa Kessna got one from two.
Jamaica face St. Kitts in their final game today at 5:15 p.m Jamaica time.
On Wednesday, Jamaica crushed former champions St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) 42-10 after leading 13-3, 23-5, and 32-6.
Ellis led the way with 25 from 32, and Walker 17 from 21. For SVG, Austina Kydd scored six from 12, and Shelissa Davis four from seven.
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