Gems stumble again, T&T maintain unbeaten run

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) secured a hard-fought but crucial 49-43 victory over hosts Barbados Gems to move into second place in the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifiers at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex yesterday.

With just two rounds remaining, the win gave the 18th-ranked SVG their fourth victory in five matches and lifted them to 12 points, behind only unbeaten leaders Trinidad and Tobago.

The defeat was a second straight setback for the 19th-ranked Barbadians following their shock loss to 40th-ranked USA on Friday. Barbados slipped to third place on nine points from five matches, level with fourth-placed USA.

However, Trinidad and Tobago’s Calypso Girls continued their dominant run through the tournament, crushing St Lucia 62-35 to secure a fifth victory from as many matches.

USA kept pace with the leading teams by defeating Canada 51-32 for their third win in five outings, while Grenada routed the winless US Virgin Islands 60-28 to register their first victory of the tournament.

Only the top two finishers will qualify for next year’s Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.