Last season’s league runners-up UTT made a strong statement in their opening match of the Courts All Sectors Netball League Premiership Division, cruising to a 60-24 win over Police, at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo, on Saturday.
Goal-attack Kalifa McCollin Lopez was in fine form, sinking 30 goals from 35 attempts, with support from goal-school Shaniya Morgan, who scored the same number but from 43 attempts.
UTT dominated the first quarter, 17-2, to seize control of the match. Police came fighting back but still lost the second period, 15-10, as UTT led 32-12 at half-time.
The eventual winners dominated the third and final quarters for the lopsided victory.
UTT’s win followed a far more enthralling encounter with MIC, now second, who gradually overturned an early deficit to record a thrilling 36-35 win over Defence Force.
The army women held a 14-5 lead after the first quarter, and 24-16 by the half.
But MIC came roaring back and outscored Defence Force 8-4 in third period, but still trailed by four goals entering the final period. They maintained the tempo and momentum as they enjoyed their most dominant spell of the match, outscoring their rivals 12-7 to win by a solitary goal.
A new Premiership Division winner will be named this season after Fire opted only to field a youth team for the Alternative Division.
The Premiership Division will resume with two matches on Saturday, following a full day of fixtures in three divisions at the Jean Pierre Complex.
Championship Division league action also got under way over the weekend, with UTC, last year’s division winners, succumbing to a humbling 45-22 defeat to Jabloteh. LaToya Thomas led for Jabloteh with 26 goals after 38 attempts.
Another upset preceded Jabloteh’s win when TT Post crushed last year’s Championship runners-up 40-22, with goal-shoot Nekeisha Gomes sinking 37 goals from 47 attempts, more than anyone else on Saturday.
PNYC defeated Police 34-23 in the opening Championship fixture, followed by a comfortable 32-26 win for UTT over Defence Force.
The Alternative Division got the action started with Defence Force beating Fire Youth 29-9. Fixtures:
Thursday
Alternative Division
PNYC vs Defence Force, 5.30 pm
TT Post vs Police, 6.20 pm
USC vs Fire Youth, 7.10 pm
Saturday
Alternative Division
UTC vs UWI, 11 am
PNYC vs TTPost, 11.50 am
Championship Division
Defence Force vs Bermudez, 12.45 pm
MIC vs UTC, 2 pm
Police vs UTT, 3.15 pm
PNYC vs TT Post, 4.30 pm
Premiership Division
MIC vs UTT, 5.45 pm
Police vs Defence Force, 7 pm
The post UTT dismantle Police in Courts netball premiership appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
