SVG stun Barbados Gems again as T&T cruise to fifth straight win
Key Points(5)
- Barbados’ hopes of securing a place at next year’s Netball World Cup suffered another setback recently when St.
- Vincent and the Grenadines claimed a 49-43 victory over the hosts at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
- The result lifted the 18th-ranked Vincentians into second place in the Americas qualifiers, strengthening their position in the race for one of the region’s two available tickets to the tournament in Sydney, Australia.
- With only two rounds remaining, SVG have won four of their five matches and accumulated 12 points, trailing only unbeaten leaders Trinidad and Tobago.
- For the 19th-ranked Barbados Gems, the defeat was particularly damaging.
Barbados’ hopes of securing a place at next year’s Netball World Cup suffered another setback recently when St. Vincent and the Grenadines claimed a 49-43 victory over the hosts at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
The result lifted the 18th-ranked Vincentians into second place in the Americas qualifiers, strengthening their position in the race for one of the region’s two available tickets to the tournament in Sydney, Australia.
With only two rounds remaining, SVG have won four of their five matches and accumulated 12 points, trailing only unbeaten leaders Trinidad and Tobago.
For the 19th-ranked Barbados Gems, the defeat was particularly damaging. It followed Friday’s surprise loss to the 40th-ranked United States, leaving the hosts with back-to-back defeats and dropping them to third place on nine points after five matches.
The Gems are now level on points with the fourth-placed Americans, adding further pressure as the qualifying contest enters its decisive phase.
SVG capitalize as Gems lose ground
SVG’s victory was a significant breakthrough in a tournament where consistency could determine which teams advance to the global showpiece.
The Vincentians showed their ability to handle the pressure of playing the hosts, securing a six-goal margin that carried them past Barbados and into the second qualifying position.
The Gems, meanwhile, have little room for further mistakes. After entering the competition with ambitions of reaching the World Cup, their consecutive losses have left them vulnerable to the chasing teams with two rounds still to play.
With only the top two teams advancing to Sydney next year, Barbados must now find a way to halt its slide and regain momentum.
Calypso Girls remain untouchable
While Barbados struggled to recover, Trinidad and Tobago continued to set the pace with another commanding performance.
The unbeaten Calypso Girls overwhelmed St. Lucia 62-35 to secure their fifth consecutive victory, maintaining a perfect record and reinforcing their status as the tournament’s leading team.
Their latest success keeps them comfortably ahead of the chasing pack as they pursue qualification for the 2027 Netball World Cup.
USA and Grenada register important wins
The United States also strengthened its position with a 51-32 victory over Canada, its third win in five matches.
The result kept the Americans level with Barbados on nine points, placing them firmly in contention as the battle for the second qualifying berth intensifies.
Grenada, meanwhile, finally got its campaign moving with a convincing 60-28 defeat of the winless United States Virgin Islands. The victory was Grenada’s first of the tournament.
With the standings tightening behind Trinidad and Tobago, the remaining fixtures will be crucial in determining which two teams from the Americas secure their places at next year’s World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
