SERENA Kersten saw plenty of positives in her side’s attacking display as Team Jets held on for a thrilling draw away at promotion rivals Hucclecote Comets.
In a back-and-forth game, the first quarter saw the teams sizing each other up and matching each other score for score, but Jets turned the screw to take a well-deserved lead into the half-time break.
Hucclecote, though, fought back and narrowed the gap in the third, before taking the lead for the first time in the fourth quarter.
However, the sharp shooting of Leah Griffin salvaged a 49-49 draw for the Islanders which leaves Jets in fourth place in the table with two games in hand on leaders ENC Equinox.
Former England captain Kersten said: “It was a very pleasing tactical start to the game from my perspective, especially considering some of the girls haven’t played for a few weeks.
“Hucclecote are towards the top of the table for a reason, so it was crucial we got off to a good start.”
It was an impressive display from the Jets – who had not played a game in more than a month – and they were unfortunate not to come away with the victory.
Kersten added: “We made some key errors at the beginning of the fourth quarter and we fell foul to some of their strengths, I believe due to a bit of fatigue.
“We have previously been extremely disciplined going into the ends of matches. But even as we made mistakes, we showed great courage to hold on for the draw under pressure, Leah Griffin’s last shot was so impressive and showed just that.
“The girls have been training so hard recently, especially on our attacking game. I’ve been so pleased with our improvement over the last few weeks in particular, providing clear lines and options and being composed under pressure when shooting.”
But Kersten is confident this is an area of the game where the Jets are improving, adding: “We are training to a level where we can be confident in believing in and executing our game plans when under pressure and feeling fatigued.
“It’s all about consistency. Can you consistently stick to tactics and execute skills to a high level when you’re tired? That’s what really good teams do.”
Jets team: Lauren Devine, Georgie Ruellan, Kat Le Riche, Layla Dos Santos, Jodie Blampied, Nicole Goddard, Antonia Chaytor, Tallulah Norman, Mollie Luce, Madison Fitzgerald Wilkins, Rosie Tonner (c), Leah Griffin.
