“I’m so proud of the girls this weekend,” said a proud Nicole Goddard after her Team Jets 2 side they showcased grit and determination during a testing away double-header which featured a commanding win against Chippenham on Saturday before succumbing to a tough defeat against Challengers Flyers on Sunday.
Despite the split, Jets 2 remain atop the Regional League 3 North standings, three points clear of Crossbow.
The Islanders made an early statement with a decisive victory over Chippenham, despite travel disruptions and squad limitations.
An early morning flight in challenging weather conditions marked the start of their weekend, but the team showed no signs of weakness once on court.
“It was a brilliant performance everyone really stuck to the game plan and executed it really well,” said coach Goddard, noting Chippenham’s height as a particular challenge to overcome.
“Chippenham might be at the bottom of the table, but they’ve had some tight results recently, so we didn’t take anything for granted.”
The match saw U16 players Emily Dove and Sophia Hussey feature in the Team Jets colours, doing themselves proud as their poise under pressure belied their age.
“They were fantastic,” Goddard exclaimed, “Both faced physical defenders and stood their ground.
“Their shooting was strong, and their calmness under such pressure was outstanding.
“For 16-year-olds playing against seasoned senior players, their resilience and maturity were exceptional.”
Defenders Summer Watkins and Flo Allo were also noted as pivotal, creating numerous turnovers that set the tone.
“They were relentless,” added Goddard, “Their ability to disrupt Chippenham’s rhythm really gave us the opportunities we needed.”
Meanwhile the Jets’ balanced attack, led by Toni Chaytor, Mollie Luce, and Lara Viera, ensured they capitalised on turnovers, to build a lead that grew steadily throughout the game for a 55-36 victory.
A tougher test followed against Challengers Flyers, with Jets 2 falling 51-41 in a tightly contested match.
The early-morning start following victory over Chippenham afforded little recovery time for the short-handed Jets, as fatigue became a factor as the game progressed.
“We knew this would be a hard game,” admitted Goddard.
“Challengers are an experienced team, and they play a physical, patient game. We started well and had moments where we matched them, but we struggled to execute consistently at critical times.”
Opening strongly, the first quarter saw fast-paced, end-to-end action, “We were competitive early on,” Goddard noted.
“Our defensive effort stood out again, with turnovers being made throughout the court.
“But momentum shifted late in the second quarter when a few errors from us gave Challengers a run of unanswered goals.”
Despite regrouping at half-time and tying the third quarter, Jets 2 were unable to recover the deficit.
“We worked hard to stay in the game,” said Goddard, “But by the fourth quarter, I think the fatigue had crept in. It’s hard to maintain that intensity across back-to-back games, especially with limited recovery time and a small squad.”
Still occupying top spot, their latest results demonstrated both their dominance and areas for growth.
“We’re in a strong position,” Goddard affirmed.
Now with a break until January, the Jets have plenty of “opportunity to rest, recover, and refine.”
“We’ve had a fantastic first half of the season,” Goddard concluded.
“I’m excited to see what we can achieve in the new year.”
