TRINIDAD & Tobago has won its first match of the 2022 Commonwealth Games netball with a 32-goal victory over Barbados. In a battle of the two bottom placed sides in the respective Pools, it was the Group B winless team that took out the honours over the Bajan Gems. Trinidad & Tobago dominated in the opening term and then after a lift in intensity from Barbados, were able to still steady and win each quarter comfortably on their way to a 63-31 victory.

BARBADOS 5 | 11 | 7 | 8 (31)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 (63)

Trinidad & Tobago stormed to a 12-goal lead at quarter time which set up the impressive victory over Barbados. Though they were in front, they did not take the foot off the pedal and stretched the lead out to 19 goals by main break. Though the Bajan Gems had scored 11 goals in the third term, that scoring ability dropped off again in the second half, only managing the 15 goals in the last two quarters, as Trinidad & Tobago piled on 28 to run out 63-31 winners.

Trinidad & Tobago kept the same seven in the match for the entire game and were able to shoot at an 85.1 per cent accuracy, while Barbados rotated through 12 players throughout the match. Afeisha Noel shot 38 goals from 43 attempts, picked up six rebounds and had a gain, while Joelisa Cooper managed 25 goals from 31 attempts, setting up 18 of Noel’s goals from 21 feeds, and had a gain herself. Janeisha Cassimy (25 goal assists from 42 feeds) and Shantel Seemungal (17 goal assists from 34 feeds) were keys in the midcourt, though few could look past another outstanding performance from captain and goal keeper Shaquanda Greene-Noel (12 gains, five intercepts, eight deflections and five rebounds).

Faye Agard shot a team-high 14 goals from 19 feeds for Barbados, while Latonia Blackman (nine goals from 10 attempts and seven goal assists) and Shonica Wharton (seven goals from 11 attempts) chipped in as well. Shonette Azore-Bruce (three gains, six deflections, two rebounds and one intercept) worked hard in goal keeper the entire match.