From Netball Singapore…
SINGAPORE VANDAS EARN SECOND WIN OF THE MIRXES NATIONS CUP WITH VICTORY OVER IRELAND
The Singapore Vandas secured their second win of the 2024 Mirxes Nations Cup, defeating Ireland 62-52.
Despite a shaky start from the shooting combination of Goal Shooter Lee Pei Shan and Amandeep Chahal, Singapore applied relentless defensive pressure throughout the court, establishing an impressive 21-7 lead in the first quarter. The Vandas extended their advantage with a second-quarter score of 15-11.
However, consistency proved elusive in the second half, as Ireland posed a tougher challenge, and Singapore struggled with several missed shots and unforced errors. While Ireland won the final two quarters, 16-15 and 18-11, it wasn’t enough to overcome Singapore’s strong start, and the Vandas ultimately secured a 10-goal victory.
Post-match, co-captain Toh Kai Wei said: “Compared to yesterday, today we had a better start, but then just we couldn’t sustain throughout the quarters itself. I think our shots, compared to yesterday, weren’t that great. Maybe it’s the focus of the team but that’s definitely something that we want to tidy up throughout; to maintain the focus, and consistency throughout the whole game.”
Reflecting on the team’s performance, head coach Annette Bishop said: “We need to ensure that we adjust a lot quicker. We were lucky we had that good start. But in saying that, there were a few different combinations we tried, and it was about us working through those sticky moments and still being able to put the goal in the end.”
United Arab Emirates earn second win of the Mirxes Nations Cup
In the day’s first match, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earned a hard-fought 44-37 victory over Kenya.
Both teams started nervously, unable to capitalise on each other’s errors, with UAE narrowly edging the first quarter 12-11. UAE’s shooting duo, Goal Shooter Charlie Preston and Goal Attack Eleanor Smith, gradually found their rhythm, overcoming Kenya’s physical defence. Meanwhile, Kenya’s attack struggled against UAE’s solid defensive trio of Goal Keeper Fiona Van Dam, Goal Defence Nicole Sproul, and Wing Defence Alana Farrell-Morton.
Preston, who shot an impressive 97%, missing just one attempt, reflected on the game: “It was a really good game today. It was very physical, and it was a different style of play—something we haven’t come across. I feel we took it as an opportunity to learn and just develop as players. But it was tough out there.”
UAE head coach Deborah Jones praised her team’s effort: “They had to work really hard for that win. Kenya are a tough outfit and they never gave up. I think that was really difficult, and I said to the girls before we started that they would have to build pressure throughout the game to capitalise on any turnovers they had. I was really proud of their performance.”
Singapore A Secure First Tournament Win Against Canada
In the second match of the day, Singapore A claimed their first victory of the tournament, defeating Canada 60-35.
Both teams showed marked improvement, but Singapore A demonstrated greater consistency over the 60 minutes, winning every quarter.
Co-captain Norah Paul Gabriel expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance: “Today’s team’s performance was good. I’m really proud of the team. The goal was to build from yesterday’s game, and I think we executed that well. Our mindset is to play our best and capitalise on our strengths while working on our weaknesses.”
The Mirxes Nations Cup will continue at the OCBC Arena (Hall 1) until 7 September. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.
For more information on the Mirxes Nations Cup, follow Netball Singapore (@netballsingapore) on social media for the latest updates.
Final Scores:
Kenya vs UAE: 37-44
Singapore A vs Canada: 60-35
Ireland vs Singapore: 52-62
Fixtures For Tomorrow:
3pm SGT: UAE vs Canada
5pm SGT: Ireland vs Singapore A
7pm SGT: Singapore vs Kenya
