Netball: Highbrow maintain perfect record with comeback win
Highbrow (bluebibs) have now won all 12 of their league games this season (Image: Kevin Frampton)
PREMIER Division leaders Highbrow Skin & Laser Clinic stormed to their 13th win of the season in the South & West Dorset Netball League.
The Highbrow Skin & Laser Clinic beat McCarthy Stone 45-24 as the continue their dominance of the division
Advertisement
It was a tightly contested first quarter as both teams [layed well with end to end action seeing both teams score. Highbrow's C Laura Austin made some sharp passes to her teammates, whilst McCarthy's GA Carragh Watt and GS Camillia Assirati made some great shots to help their team take an early lead.
McCarthy's mid court play stepped up to control the flow of the game and they created some excellent opportunities for their shooters to score.
Highbrow's GD Jayne Guppy and GK Jane Dunford made some quick interceptions and with smart positioning were able to turnover the ball which slowed McCarthy's momentum, although the scores were close but it was Highbrow who led at the end of the second quarter.
Highbrow launched a powerful come back with their shooters finding a great rhythm, mid court players were able to convert the ball and with precision to feed to the shooters and this kept McCarthy's defence busy.
Advertisement
Highbrow extended their lead in the final quarter as their defence disrupted McCarthy's flow and romped to victory to make it 12 from 12.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division Wagamama's kept their good form going with a crushing 70-31 win over Coastal Cheese.
Wagamamas started well with their C Marcie Przybysz making some lovely feeds into GA Sammy Whisker who didn't miss. Coastal's WA Millie Simmons made some lovely overhead feeds into GS Sam Shewbridge and GA Laura Cox, but it was Wagamamas who held the lead.
Wagamamas continued their strong play through the court with GA Sammy Whisker working hard to feed the ball to GS Laura Gardner who made some brilliant shots.
Advertisement
Coastal fought back with some long shots from GS Sam Shewbridge but Wagamamas held the lead
Coastal's GA Laura Cox continued her strong accurate shooting to close the gap, although Wagamamas GD Becky Cousens made some incredible high jumps to intercept the ball to maintain their lead.
Coastal kept fighting with excellent feeds into the shooters by their WA Millie Simmonds but Wagamamas proved too much in the end.
Third placed Buglers pipped NewBody Fitness 35-30 whilst The Veterans Hub defeated Taddle Farm Tents in the other games on Thursday night.
It was much of the same in Division One for Gungho Wildcats beating The Waterloo 69-26 to stay top whilst Kooky Bloom recorded back-to-back wins with a 31-29 win over Team Waikiki.
Advertisement
Warmer Home Improvements Lightning beat Joe Newton Electrical 55-46 and First Fit Windows conceded to Artifex Krakens in the other games.
On to Division Two and Vibes Dorchester claimed their first win of the season with a 49-38 win over WJNC Waves.
Leaders WJNC Warriors beat Dream Digital 70-27, Dorchester Netball club moved up to second with a 67-19 victory over The Marlboro and Zest beat Artifex Calypso in the final game.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ruthless Topuria wins second title before shoving Pimblett
Topuria and Pimblett have been rivals since 2022 [Getty Images] Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in ruthless fashion to win the lightweight title and become a two-division champion at UFC 317 in Las Vegas. The Georgian-Spaniard, who vacated his featherweight belt earlier this year, ended the fight in the first round with a brutal straight right-left hook combination. Advertisement The 28-year-old became only the 10th double champion in UFC history as he extended his unbeaten run to 17. Topuria then faced off with and shoved Britain's Paddy Pimblett, potentially setting up a mouth-watering title bout between the two rivals. "I don't think [Pimblett's] going to accept the fight. If you think you're ready, come on, bring him here," said Topuria. Liverpool's Pimblett was shown on television cameras sporting a big grin and rubbing his hands together, before he entered the octagon and clashed with Topuria. "That was a heavy knockout but you will never knock me out. I'd finish you," said Pimblett. Advertisement The pair have history, after a dispute at a hotel prior to UFC London in 2022. Pimblett has staked his claim for a title shot recently, rising to eighth in the UFC lightweight rankings following a dominant win against Michael Chandler in April. Topuria dominates again Topuria follows Conor McGregor in winning UFC featherweight and lightweight gold [Getty Images] The title bout between Topuria and Brazil's Oliveira was set up after it was announced former champion Islam Makhachev would be vacating his belt to move up to welterweight. Topuria had a stellar 2024, knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, but confirmed he would leave the featherweight division because of the difficult weight cut. Advertisement Oliveira, 35, was looking to become the first two-time lightweight champion in UFC history. Both fighters were cheered during their walkouts and it was the confident Topuria who struck first, opening a cut above Oliveira's eye. After Topuria got the better of a grappling exchange on the ground, the fight then returned to the feet before he delivered his highlight reel moment. As Oliveira stepped in, Topuria landed a flush, straight right before connecting with a left hook, leaving the Brazilian flat out on the canvas. Topuria celebrated by drinking an imaginary cup of tea before hoisting a UFC title belt over each shoulder. Advertisement The spectacular win over the popular Oliveira follows knockouts of fan favourites Volkanovski and Holloway as Topuria cemented his status as one of the most explosive fighters on the roster. "I represent a new generation of mixed martial arts. This is the next level of the game," said Topuria. "I did exactly what we had planned. Right hand, left hook and boom - his lights went out." In the co-main event, Brazil's Alexandre Pantoja retained his flyweight title by submitting New Zealand's Kai Kara-France in the third round. Pantoja, 35, secured a rear-naked choke to top off a dominant performance and make the fourth defence of his belt. Topuria put Oliveira down with a straight right-left hook combination [Getty Images] Fans want Topuria-Pimblett - analysis The rivalry between Topuria and Pimblett has been brewing since the Briton threw a bottle of hand sanitiser at him during a confrontation at a London hotel in 2022. Advertisement With the pair in different weight classes, it looked like a bout would never materialise but that changed when Topuria moved up to lightweight earlier this year. With Pimblett ranked eighth in the lightweight rankings he may not seem the logical choice as Topuria's next opponent, but stranger things have happened. Armenia's Arman Tsarukyan, who is ranked first, and third-ranked American Justin Gaethje may have stronger claims for a title shot, but Pimblett would be the most fan-friendly option. The 30-year-old, who has won all seven of his fights in the UFC, earned the biggest win of his career against Chandler in April, but Topuria represents an imposing challenge. Advertisement There are always questions about whether a fighter's punching power will translate when they move up a division, but Topuria answered them emphatically with his ruthless knockout of Oliveira. More MMA from the BBC
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Organ donation is 'life-giving', say recipients
Organ donation is "life-giving" and provides recipients with a "new lease of life", three people who previously received transplants have told the BBC. Jack Beever, Blossom Martin, James Lawton were all speaking ahead of next months British Transplant Games, which is an Olympics-style sporting event for people who have received organ transplants. The multi-sport festival is taking place in Oxford next year for the first time, with more than a thousand participants set to descend on the city. "Organ donation is so important, and for everyone involved it makes such a difference, not just for me but for my family," Mr Beever, 19, said. Ms Martin, who received a kidney transplant from her mum two years ago, said: "Organ donation is life-giving, it's given me a new lease of life and if you can give something to someone else that you don't need, its win-win for everyone." The 19-year-old said her transplant meant she could "dedicate so much more time to whatever I want to do - it's amazing". Explaining what life was like before his kidney transplant earlier this year, Mr Beever said: "I was so restricted with everything I could do - I was in bed all the time feeling really tired and poorly." "The second I had it, it was just amazing - I had so much energy, I could do so much more around the house, I could eat whatever I wanted, it was amazing." He said organ donation made "such a difference for everyone involved". "I wouldn't be here without organ donation," Mr Lawton said, adding: "My wife and my kids wouldn't have me around without my transplant." All three will be competing for Team Oxford at the British Transplant Games, which takes place between 31 July and 3 August. The games will see 1,045 athletes - ranging from ages three to eighty-plus - compete against one-another across 25 different sports. Paul Harden, chairman of the charity Tranplsant Active - which organises the games, said: "Organ donation can transform these people's lives from a life threating situation to one where they can compete in all of these sports." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. 'I had a transplant - now I compete for my country' Oxford to host Olympics-style Transplant Games Meet the kids competing at the Transplant Games British Transplant Games
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool Chairman Reflects on the Pursuit of Florian Wirtz and Summer Strategy
Tom Werner Lifts Lid on Wirtz Deal and Liverpool's Summer Ambition Margins That Matter in Elite-Level Recruitment In a transfer market dictated by fine margins and even finer balancing acts, Liverpool's capture of Florian Wirtz could have gone another way entirely. As chairman Tom Werner admitted in a revealing interview with the Liverpool Echo, the record-breaking deal that brought the German playmaker to Anfield for £116 million came perilously close to falling apart. Advertisement 'There was a point in the process that we thought we had stretched to a generous proposal and if we thought Leverkusen wanted 20% more then we may not have been able to get there,' Werner explained. That admission pulls back the curtain on the reality behind elite-level transfers. Even for Premier League champions, there are financial thresholds, and Liverpool's willingness to stretch those boundaries underlines the faith placed in Wirtz's potential and the club's broader strategic vision. Photo: IMAGO Confidence in Arne Slot and Recruitment Team This summer represents a major turning point for Liverpool, not just in terms of new faces, but in how authority is delegated and trust is embedded. Werner was crystal clear on where responsibility lies. Advertisement 'We (FSG) do not meddle in those kinds of decisions,' he said. 'We have full confidence that Richard [Hughes] and Arne [Slot] are being extremely careful and that if they bless something or recommend something then we are going to support.' Slot, having stepped into the immense shoes left by Jürgen Klopp, has quickly earned backing at boardroom level. He has already overseen the signings of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, bolstering Liverpool's flanks alongside the Wirtz headline deal. Refresh Over Repetition Werner also touched on a key principle underpinning Liverpool's squad-building philosophy: evolution over stagnation. Advertisement 'One of the things which is a danger point is if you bring back the same squad because I think it is just important to alter the chemistry to bring in new faces,' he stated. Photo: IMAGO Last summer, Liverpool opted for restraint, a decision that drew criticism in some quarters. Werner acknowledged the scrutiny: 'There was a lot of noise last year that we didn't go out and sign somebody for £100m. But Arne felt the right thing to do was work with the squad he has.' This time, the approach has shifted decisively. Liverpool have invested, with clarity, with conviction, and with trust in the system they've put in place. Wirtz Carries Weight of Expectation With 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances last season, a Bundesliga Player of the Year award, and widespread recognition as one of Europe's finest young creators, Florian Wirtz arrives with the weight of expectation. Advertisement Werner captured the mood with cautious optimism: 'If Wirtz is half the talent that the media and the analysts say then it will be the right decision!' This is not a club chasing headlines. This is a club, under Slot's guidance, doubling down on its identity while embracing evolution. The Wirtz deal, nearly lost in the margins, may well prove pivotal to Liverpool's next chapter.
