Buoyed by two successive wins the Shiplake girls’ netball team travelled to Pangbourne College with a sense of anticipation. Artic winds made playing conditions difficult, particularly for the shooters. Early panic meant that it looked more like a game of ‘Pass the Bomb’, than netball, resulting in a 2 – 2 score at the end of the first quarter. White, Rowbotham and McIntosh held off the opposition in defence with Lister as centre and Harman, Arnold and Holland in attack.
The second quarter saw a change in team, allowing the more novice players a chance to show off their newly learned skills. Despite some excellent play from the defence, Kozhemyakina and Pongratz, and great channelling from Lister, Harman and Malagueira, Shiplake ended the second quarter losing 4 – 5.
Once again the team changed, resulting in more fluid passing and excellent defence from McIntosh in the goal circle. Rowbotham and Holland worked well together, intercepting the ball and passing it down the court to the midfield where Harman, Lister and Arnold worked it into the goal circle enabling goals from White and Arnold. This resulted in an 8 - 6 lead to Shiplake.
In the final quarter Shiplake were determined to extend their lead. As the wind picked up, so did the volume of the side-line support. Excellent team work was evident in the last 10 minutes of the game scoring seven goals, and only conceding four to the opposition, making the final score 15-10 to Shiplake.
