Wins for London Pulse U21 & U19 V North East

Last weekend both our U19 and U21 academy squads were in action v North East.  Both teams came away with the win in an exciting day of NPL netball.

 

London Pulse U21 59  North East 33

Report by Jada Autumn

The Pulse U21s travelled to Hertfordshire Sports Village ready to face off against North East U21’s. With the team having worked hard to improve on the last game, they were eager to secure another win.

In the first quarter, the team were instructed to remain calm yet strong, making sure to have a smooth transition from defense to attack and scoring off of turnovers. The first few minutes of the game saw a full team effort resulting in the opposition held ball, putting Pulse ahead. However, North East fought back, making the score tight but still giving Pulse the confidence to carry on into the second quarter.

The second quarter saw Pulse maintain their grit and determination, dominating the opposition with their defense creating forced errors. May and Everitt playing as the GD/GK were relentless in their pursuit of turnovers, keeping the team confident throughout the game. The connection between the defense and attack from May through to Ferns & Chambers allowed the game to flow smoothly.

Half-time saw the team gather together, acknowledging their tendency to struggle in the third quarter but with the encouragement of their coaches and bench, they were not phased. The third quarter saw changes made in the attack where Neil and Autumn carried the ball with ease and were able to connect with Henshall to add to the scoreboard.

In the fourth quarter, Ebiso Whyte made her debut for U21’s and continued to shut down her opposition player, showcasing her strong right defense.

The final score was 59-33, with Darcie Everitt being named the Opposition player of the match and Isla May being named the Coaches Player. The match was a great display of teamwork and determination from the Pulse team. The next game for Pulse will be against Team Bath on the 18th of February. The team would like to express their gratitude towards the opposition, officials, umpires, and supporters for a fantastic game.

London Pulse U19 62 North East 25

Report by Izzi Phillips

On 4th February we travelled up to Hertfordshire sports village for a home game. Despite not being at our normal courts we still had a job to do. Although yet to win a game so far, we still knew North East Phoenix would put up a strong fight. They are a strong side who are tenacious and ambitious to challenge a top team. This was a must win and we really wanted  to take this opportunity to build on our goal difference and practice structures we had learnt in training.

Starting line up:

GS- Hannah A

GA- Hannah G

WA- Hannah K

C- Sophia S

WD- Amani K

GD- Izzi P

GK- Tami F

 

Bench: Coco W, Ronnie T,  Daisy B, Ellie S, Sasha H,

 

Q1-To start the game off, North east came out the gates swinging and really gave us something to think about. For the first part of the quarter we were goal for goal with them, However, the intensity never dropped and our defensive pressure throughout the court (including a few attacking intercepts) led us to get turnover and create opportunities to push ahead.

Final Score of Q1: 13-18 Pulse

Quarter 2 changes: Ellie S(WD), Daisy B (WA)

Q2- We won the first quarter and had started to create a lead however as a team we were still not where we wanted to be. All through the court we needed to be more clinical with the ball to truly punish the opposition with the turnover opportunities we created for ourselves. Pulse came out hard and started to take control of the game. Daisy B also entered the game towards the end of the second quarter adding a burst of energy ready to continue the task at hand.

Final score of Q2- 32 18

 

Quarter 3 changes: Izzi P (WD), Sasha H (GD), Hannah K(C)

Q3- With a shift around to the midcourt and defence and fresh legs entering the game, we had all the momentum we needed to take the game and showcase our talent. Defence really showed there skills as they managed to limiting North East to just 3 goals

Final Score of Q3: 45-21

 

Quarter 4 changes: Sophia (WA)

Q4- consistency was a big focus in this game and although we had built a healthy lead, we made sure not to let up any pressure for the opposition. In true Pulse fashion we ended the game with flair and confidence. It felt as though we really came together as a team and everyone was fighting for each loose ball as if we were neck and neck.

 

Full-time score: 62-25 to Pulse

 

Overall the team put in a great shift in the office. With our shooters collectively with a shooting percentage of 82% and defence achieving the target set by the coach to limit our goals conceded  to under 30. This puts us in a great position for next week’s match against Manchester Thunder as we face a top of the table clash. Thank you to North East Phoenix, Umpires and supporters for a great game!

 

Shout out to…

Player of the Match- Izzi P

Coaches Player- Daisy B