Netball 2’s at the Double

By Ava Featon, English Literature First Year

The Bristol side headed into their final match of the season with absolute confidence that they would take home the league title, and they did not disappoint.

Chantelle Wopara’s chosen starting seven of; Fran Tomassoni (GS), Ava Featon (GA), Sabine Newman (WA), Chloe Davies (C), Poppy Sawyer (WD), Grace Durand (GD) and Iris Huggins (GK) highlighted the beloved three seniors Tomassoni, Newman, and Davies in their last ever match for UBNC. From the umpire's first whistle Bristol came out with a bang, easily scoring off their first center pass. With multiple beautiful pocket drives from Newman, effortless feeds into the circle from Davies and Tomassoni rewarding her team every time with a goal. The three seniors truly proved they knew how to make a show of their final ever game at UBNC, with the first quarter finishing at 21-7 to Bristol.

Heading into the second quarter Charlotte Howard, Katie Copping, and Maddie Whitmore subbed in for Featon, Sawyer, and Huggins in their respective positions and continued to make a huge dent in the score board, highlighting to the audience the impressive depth of Bristol’s bench. The USW’s attack struggled in the defensive end against the strong partnership of Durand and Whitmore. The defensive duo made it look like they were taking turns to hunt and turn the ball, that's how easy it was for them. With the constant ball being converted by defence paired with the jaw dropping physical fitness of senior Davies holding it all together in the middle, the Bristol side effortlessly dominated the first half ending in a score of 34-14.

The third quarter picked up exactly where it left off at half time. Bristol did not once let up on USW and continued to put the points on the board. With Featon back in at GA and Sawyer into C, this attacking duo proved even more trouble for the USW defence. Sawyer’s feeds into Featon were an issue USW couldn’t solve. Tomassoni continued to prove her strength in the circle with her spectacular hold and Newman continued to dominate the circle edge. Huggins was subbed in at GD to give the resident ball turner Durand a rest and as expected continued to gain interception after interception. A cross-court interception from Davies at WD finished off the third quarter beautifully at 55-19.

For Tomassoni, Davies, and Newman this was their final quarter ever for UBNC, for the crowd it was an entertaining final fifteen minutes. The plethora of skill that was shown in the final quarter by Bristol was breath-taking. From Howard’s long bombs at GA to Copping’s circle edge interceptions at WD, every player on the court was beyond impressive. Bristol continued to command the momentum of the game, as Wopara watched on as she witnessed the final minutes of her senior’s last game. As the final whistle blew to a score of 73-22, the Bristol side embraced in an emotional huddle and the seniors took in their final moments ever playing for UBNC.

Post Match Comments

Chantelle Wopara, Head Coach of Bristol Netball

'After their triumph in the cup, the Mighty 2s returned to the court for their final game of the season, facing off against USW. With promotion to Division 1A already secured for next year, the team was eager to use this game as an opportunity to showcase everything they had been working on in training. And they certainly delivered, putting on a thrilling performance that ended in a resounding 73-22 victory. From the first whistle, the team's defensive pressure was relentless. The defensive unit kept USW on their toes, forcing them to play more phases than they were comfortable with, which lead to mistakes that the Might 2s were quick to capitalise on. The team transitioned effortlessly through the court, taking advantage of these errors and converting them into goals. The senior players, Fran, Chloe, and Sabine were exceptional throughout the match. They played the full 60 minutes, demonstrating their experience and leadership. Their attacking play was seamless, making the game look effortless as they dominated in every aspect. This victory was the perfect end to what has been a perfect season filled with growth, dedication, and historic success. Well done and congratulations on an incredible season!'

Betsy Thomas, Co-Captain of Bristol 2s

'It was our final game of the league, and we absolutely dominated with a huge win, securing our place as league champions! The whole team played brilliantly, and this win gave us promotion, making all the hard work this season worth it! The game was also very exciting and emotional as it was our seniors last time playing for UBNC and each one played so well, ending their UBNC journey on a high. It was the perfect way to finish the season, and we can't wait to take on the challenge of a higher division next year!'

Sabine Newman, Player of the Match

'Everyone put out such an amazing performance, and we thoroughly deserved the win after a season of such hard work! I couldn't have asked for a better team to win the league with and I wish them the best of luck in div 1 next year!'

Meet the Team