DESPITE a 47-55 defeat to the England Roses in Sunday’s second match of the Vitality Horizon Series at the OA Arena in Manchester, Jamaica senior netball team head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry remain optimistic.

Henry viewed the game as a valuable opportunity to experiment with player rotations, testing various combinations to strengthen the Sunshine Girls team.

The victory gave England a 1-0 lead in the four Vitality Horizon Series matches. This result follows a nail-biting 49-49 result in Saturday’s opener.

Both teams are expected to arrive in Jamaica later today, ahead of the remaining two matches in the series. The matches are scheduled for November 25 and 26 at the National Indoor Sports Center in St Andrew, as the stage is set for an electrifying conclusion.

“It’s all about developing players,” Henry said in a post-match interview.

“We want to see a rotation – and I think we didn’t do a lot of that in the first game – so today for the second game we wanted to see where the players are at and see what combination works, and we “We are grateful for this opportunity,” added Henry.

Goal attack Shanice Beckford had a minor injury scare during the match, forcing her to limp off the field. Henry quickly replaced Beckford with English-born Rhea Dixon, who fit right into the match. Henry praised Beckford, who returned to the game in the latter stages, and Dixon for their efforts.

“We are looking for more options in our goal attack. Beckford and Dixon are options there and (again) we still need to rotate them. I think both did well,” Henry said.

The England Roses dominated the first quarter, leading the Sunshine Girls 12-8 as their calm start allowed them to dictate the pace.

The Jamaicans responded with unyielding pressure, forcing England into errors and taking a 23-21 lead. However, unforced errors crept into Jamaica’s match, allowing England to level the score 24-24 at halftime.

The third quarter proved decisive as the revitalized English defense stifled the Jamaican attack. The Roses managed to step up the pressure, causing crucial turnovers; they also targeted Jamaican shooter Romelda Aiken-George, limiting her influence in the circle; and capitalized on the Jamaicans’ mistakes. Despite England’s dominance, the Sunshine Girls launched a late-quarter rally, reducing the deficit to two goals. However, England’s composure under pressure allowed them to weather the Jamaican storm by maintaining a 39-35 advantage at the start of the third quarter.

Sunshine Girls’ revenue woes persisted into the final quarter, ultimately proving costly. Despite England’s control, Jamaica rallied valiantly, reducing their deficit to 42-41 with 10 minutes remaining in the match. But the Roses responded with relentless pressure, causing critical errors while disrupting Jamaica’s rhythm and momentum. England then took advantage of the turnovers to pull away and claim an easy victory.

Henry acknowledged that the Sunshine Girls struggled in the latter stages of the game, identifying turnovers as a crucial issue to address.

“We struggled to maintain momentum in the latter part of the game. Our ball movement became stagnant and we were unable to get the ball to the edge of the circle effectively. I think the movement was a bit stagnant. This is something we need to look at and correct quickly, before the remaining matches,” Henry analyzed.

HENRY…we wanted to see where the players are at and see what combination works, and we are grateful for the opportunity (Photo: Observer file)