DESPITE a 47-55 loss to England’s Roses in Sunday’s second game of the Vitality Horizon Series at OA Arena in Manchester, Jamaica’s senior netball team Head Coach Sasher-Gaye Henry remains optimistic.

Henry viewed the game as a valuable opportunity to experiment with players rotations, testing various combinations to bolster the Sunshine Girls squad.

The victory handed England a 1-0 lead in the four-match Vitality Horizon Series. The outcome followed a nail-biting 49-49 result in the opening game on Saturday.

Both teams are scheduled to arrive in Jamaica later today, ahead of the remaining two matches in the series. The games are scheduled for November 25 and 26 at National Indoor Sports Centre in St Andrew, as the stage is set for an electrifying conclusion.

“It is all about building players,” Henry said in a post-game interview.

“We want to see rotation — and I think we didn’t do a lot of that in the first game — so today for the second game we wanted to see where the players are at and to see what combination works, and we are grateful for that opportunity,” Henry added.

Goal attack Shanice Beckford had a little injury scare during the match, forcing her to limp off the court. Henry swiftly substituted Beckford with England-born Rhea Dixon, who seamlessly integrated into the game. Henry praised both Beckford, who returned to game during the latter stages, and Dixon for their efforts.

“We are looking for more options in our goal attack. Both Beckford and Dixon are options there and [yet] we still have to rotate them. I think both did well,” Henry said.

England’s Roses dominated the opening quarter, leading the Sunshine Girls 12-8 as their composed start allowed them to dictate the pace.

The Jamaicans responded with unyielding pressure, forcing England into errors and edging ahead 23-21. However, unforced errors crept into Jamaica’s game, enabling England to tie the score 24-24 at half-time.

The third quarter proved decisive as England’s revitalised defence stifled Jamaica’s attack. The Roses were able to intensify the pressure, forcing crucial turnovers; they also targeted Jamaica’s goal shooter Romelda Aiken-George, limiting her circle influences; and capitalised on the Jamaicans’ errors. Despite England’s dominance, the Sunshine Girls launched a late-quarter rally, narrowing the gap to two goals. However, England’s composure under pressure allowed them to weather the Jamaican storm as they maintained a 39-35 advantage entering the third quarter.

The Sunshine Girls’ turnover woes persisted in the final quarter, ultimately proving costly. Despite England’s stranglehold Jamaica rallied valiantly, narrowing the deficit to 42-41 with 10 minutes remaining in the game. But the Roses responded with relentless pressure, forcing critical errors as they disrupted Jamaica’s rhythm and momentum. England would then capitalised on turnovers to pull away for an easy win.

Henry acknowledged that the Sunshine Girls struggled in the latter stages of the game, pinpointing turnovers as a crucial issue to address.

“We struggled to maintain momentum in the latter part of the game. Our ball movement became stagnant, and we couldn’t get the ball to the edge of the circle effectively. I think the movement was a little stagnant. It’s something we have to look at and correct quickly, going into the remaining games,” Henry analysed.

HENRY… we wanted to see where the players are at and to see what combination works, and we are grateful for that opportunity (Photo: Observer file)