TIVOLI drew first blood in the Jamaica Netball Association Berger Super League best-of-three final by stopping defending champions Jamalco 42-40 in Game One at the Leila Robinson Courts yesterday.

Jamalco, replete with several current and former national players, led in the first quarter, 13-8, but could not take charge thereafter as former national captain Elaine Davis struggled to find her footing and ended with 29 goals from 42 attempts.

Kasey Evering started in the goal shooting position for Tivoli, but was substituted at the end of the first quarter as she made several unforced errors and could not quite get it together.

Her replacement, Cleopatra Grant, then led with 26 goals from 36 attempts while the illustrious Jody Ffrench landed 10 from 11 as they whittled away at the lead and eventually ended the second quarter locked at 22-all.

From then on, the West Kingston

side led from the front, taking the

third quarter, 32-30, before moving on to victory.

Jamalco coach Winston Nevers congratulated the opposition on their showing and said his side’s errors cost them: “I think we didn’t shoot well today …the two teams were close and so any one that made the mistakes will suffer,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Tivoli coach Chris Campbell said his bench is deep enough that they will be in good stead entering Monday’s game two.

“We won with what we had so we are going to see how best we can add to that and get it right,” he said.

— D Bogle