High-riding Molynes United ‘A’ and former champions University of the West Indies (UWI) Pelicans will come face to face for the first time this season when they clash in the 2016 Netball Jamaica (NJ)/Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) Sunshine Open League netball competition final today at the Leila Robinson Courts, starting at 6:00 pm.

Molynes ‘A’ and Pelicans reached today’s final by defeating Mico ‘A’ and Waulgrovians ‘A’ in their respective semi-finals inside the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) last Thursday.

Molynes ‘A’, after eliminating defending champions Mico ‘B’ 20-17 last Tuesday, repeated another of their giant-killing performances, by registering another thrilling 20-18 win over the more fancied Mico ‘A’ aggregation.

Meanwhile, the more experienced UWI Pelicans did not have much difficulty in breezing past Waulgrovians ‘A’ 36-25 .

The grand final could be shifted to the NISC if play is disrupted by rain.

Coach Roy Pryce was very happy for the win over Mico ‘B’ and Mico ‘A’, and is hoping to play similar tactics on Pelicans. “Both Mico teams produced the same or identical brand of quick and fast pattern of netball combinations, so I knew how to approach them.

“The pattern I applied against Mico ‘A’ in the semi-final was not to play their fast-attacking tactics. I allowed them to come to us, so that the spaces they wanted to create with openings were denied by our nicely organised defensive work. The girls played extremely well to win.

“I know Pelicans is a very well-coached aggregation and very good, but we are going there with the same approach to win. Providing the players come out their with our ‘A’ game, we can come out victorious,” Pryce said.

Conrad Parkes, coach of UWI, said: “It should be a very competitive match as my team is well prepared for the challenges from Molynes ‘A’ who I know will be well charged mentally for this showdown.

“They (Molynes ‘A’) have been playing pretty well throughout and we have seen what they can do and what they cannot do. We will have to find a way to counter their shooting, as well as our defensive areas where our players will have to be alert inside the shooting circle,” Parkes said.

“We will be making a few adjustments prior to the start of the match, and we also will be looking to come out as champions, but I expect a close and challenging encounter from Molynes’A’,” he said.

The possible starting sevens for the teams are: Molynes United ‘A’ – Shantal Slater (GS), Kera Christie (GA), Stacy-Ann Mullings (WA), Titania Blackstock (C), Nelesha Hall (WD), Abbigail Lee (GD), Kadian Dehaney (GK).

UWI Pelicans – Thristina Harwood (GS), Rebekah Robinson (GA), Carla-Lee Tinglin (WA), Kimoya Draggon (C), Rashida Reid (WD), Shadian Hemmings (GD), Shamera Sterling (GK).

Prior to the Open League final, the JNBS Open League Consolation ‘B’ final will be played between SPEGA ‘A’ and University of Technology Knights to begin at 5:00 pm, while the Jo Wigman Rally is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm.