THERE were a number of fresh faces that stepped up to the plate in Round 1 and 2 respectively in the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL). This series aims to look at a couple of debutants and players under 21 as they look to hone in their craft and become permanent figures for their side throughout their 2021 campaign.

Bella Bayliss (Saracens Mavericks)

Youngster Bella Bayliss wasted no time leaving her mark on the competition and controlling proceedings for the Mavs. Featuring in both games across the round, Bayliss showcased her ability to combat the likes of Fi Toner and Jade Clarke in her clash against the Rhinos while also holding her own against Yasmin Parsons. With quick hands and impressive vision Bayliss was able to direct traffic in the goal third and create multiple attacking forays. She is quick around circle edge to reposition while her fancy footwork enabled her to withstand the physicality of some of the more experienced and bigger bodied midcourters. Bayliss showed composure and timing to release the pass into the likes of Kadeen Corbin on the drive or Britney Pringle-Clarke on the hold under the post. She managed three deflections across the two games and while she only had limited court time it was a strong start to her campaign. Bayliss will be eager to continue her strong start to the season in coming rounds sharing her role with the experienced Sasha Corbin and looking to develop her craft to have a profound impact for longer periods of time.

Sophie Kelly (Surrey Storm)

Making her debut in the VNSL and for Surrey Storm, Sophie Kelly plied her trade under the post using her silky movement to command the ball and shoot truly while also highlighting her composure with ball in hand. Boasting speed and dynamism, Kelly asserted herself on the contest and played an integral support role to the likes of Karyn Bailey under the post. Her ability to read the play was impressive, slotting into the space and driving along the baseline with great ease to slice through the defence. Somewhat of an unknown quantity for defenders, Kelly ensured that through her nifty footwork and attacking mindset that she presented an option inside the goal third to keep her opponents guessing earning Player of the Match honours against the Pulse for her continued efforts. Kelly was not afraid to back herself from range and showed good awareness to work the ball around the circle to get into a more commanding position in both games. Slight in stature the youngster used her nimbleness to manoeuvre around the court and also applied pressure through the midcourt to try and quell the speed of play in transition. She partnered well with the likes of Parsons through the midcourt to read the space and open up the court while also complementing the playing style of Emily Gulvin.

Jasmin Obeogberin (Loughborough Lightning) 

Somewhat of a familiar face given she has represented England in the Under 17s and 19s, Jasmin Obeogberin made a splash in her outing for Loughborough Lightning making full use of her defensive tendencies to swat away passes and mount pressure. Able to cover the court with ease and use her vision to slot into the right places, at the right time Obeorgberin showcased her defensive prowess and all-round skillset to influence the play. She was a force to be reckoned with under the post picking up crucial rebounds and was not afraid to use her body to claim prime positioning. Joining forces with the likes of Sam May and Alice Harvey down back the youngster was able to come on her play her own game allowing her to roam freely and hunt the ball. In her two games she picked up five intercepts, two rebounds and two deflections highlighting her impressive read of the play and spatial awareness to cleanly pick off passes.