WESTERN BUREAU:

PACERS JUVENILE made a winning start to their campaign in the St. James Hart & Son Senior Netball League on Sunday, carving out an exciting 26-25 win over Sting in the opening game of the season at the Montego Bay Boys' and Girls' Club courts.

"It was a very close game, but I was pleased with the composure we showed today," said Charles Stephenson, the coach of Pacers Juvenile, who won last season's St. James Intermediate League to gain promotion to the Senior League. "This was a wonderful way to bow into the big league."

In the game played on a surface made slippery by mid-afternoon rains, Sting started out looking quite ominous as goal shooter Stacey Shakespear who scored 15 goals; and Latoya Wallace, who got 10, had Juvenile under early pressure as they took a 6-4 first quarter lead.

However, with national Under-16 player Danielle Ellis, who got a game-high 24 goals, gradually finding her range and goalkeeper Jodian Grant settlingdown in defence, Juvenile took control in the second quarter, which they won 7-3 to establish a 11-9 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Sting came out quite strong with Shakespear and Wallace combining well under the hoop. However, the prolific Ellis, with her accuracy, was able to match their efforts as Juvenile won the quarter 9-7 to establish a 20-16 cushion going into the final quarter.

During the final stanza, the inexperience of the Juvenile players began to show as they started to buckle under the all-out assault of the more experienced Sting. However, despite losing the quarter 9-6, they hung on for a tight victory.

Sunday's first round should have featured three matches, but the heavy rains in Montego Bay forced the postponement of two.