MAGIC WIN FIRST EVER YNPL NATIONAL TITLE
Magic NC won an ENG YNPL Championship Final for the first time in their history after an incredible extra-time over Starz in the U13 Championship Final. On their way to the final, they even got revenge for their U12 loss to Oldham Owls in the Grand Finals, capping off an incredible day for the No. 1 team in Sussex.
Quarter-Finals
Magic NC got off to a flying start against YWCA Bury in their quarter-final game. They dominated up until halftime and had the game won. The second half saw them slow down, allowing YWCA Bury to make the score respectable, but in the end, it was an excellent start for Magic.
Oldham Owls and Chester NC started the competition with convincing wins in a similar fashion to how Magic had won their tie. The closest game was between Starz and Little Sutton. Starz had a healthy lead going into the final quarter, but Little Sutton fought hard to force overtime nearly. In the end, though, Starz held on and was through to the semi-finals.
Results
Magic NC (30) Vs YWCA Bury (24)
Oldham Owls (37) Vs MK Dons (13)
Starz NC (24) Vs Starz NC (21)
Chester NC (26) Vs AP Saints (11)
5th-8th Play-Offs
MK Dons bounced back after their heavy loss to Oldham Owls with a solid win against netball powerhouse YWCA Bury. From start to finish, the Buckinghamshire side dominated the game and went through to the 5th-6th Play-Off Final.
AP Saints suffered a heavy defeat to Chester and once again lost heavily, this time to Little Sutton. It was disappointing for the AP Saints, who had finished the season on a strong note.
Results
MK Dons (29) Vs YWCA Bury (22)
Little Sutton (21) Vs AP Saints (11)
Semi-Finals
Starz took on a confident Chester side who had won their previous game with ease. The game was expected to be competitive, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations after Starz dominated the game early on, leaving Chester with a significant deficit to overcome. By the time Chester had woken up, the tie was out of reach, and even though the score was competitive at the end, it was no consolation after such a poor start to the game.
Magic had a tough tie against Oldham Owls. The game started well for Magic, who took an early lead going into the second quarter. The game felt like a chess match, with both sides trying to decipher each other's strategy. However, the defensive line for Magic was doing well to frustrate and disrupt the Oldham attack, and the score at halftime was 13-8.
The magic tactic was to slow the game down and force Oldham into passing the ball more, which would inevitably lead to errors. It was working well, with them going into the final quarter 19-11 ahead. The final quarter saw a big response from Oldham, who had nothing to lose. Magic had to weather the storm and maintain their discipline. Thankfully, they held on and were through to the final against Starz.
Results
Magic NC (24) Vs Oldham Owls (20)
Starz NC (24) Vs Chester NC (18)
5th-8th Play-Off Finals
YWCA Bury managed to secure their first win of the competition over AP Saints, who would have been happy to see the day come to a close after three losses.
Little Sutton won the 5th-6th Final after a convincing over MK Dons. Despite their loss to Starz, Little Sutton performed well through-out the comp.
7th-8th Result
YWCA Bury (16) Vs AP Saints (11)
5th-6th Result
Little Sutton (29) Vs MK Dons (20)
3rd/4th Play-Off
In the league, Chester had collapsed dramatically against Oldham Owls in the opening quarter. This time, Chester started the brighter of the two sides and took a healthy lead going into the second quarter. After such a positive start, though, Chester struggled for the rest of the game to re-create the form that took them into the lead, and Oldham Owls dominated the rest of the game to secure a third-place finish.
Result
Oldham Owls (22) Vs Chester NC (14)
Final
The game between Starz and Magic was an example of how every final should be after such a rollercoaster of a ride both teams had to go.
Magic started the brighter and went into the second quarter 7-4 ahead. They maintained a slight lead at the halfway point, and the game was finely poised heading into the second half.
Starz started the third quarter on fire and turned the game around to take the lead. A goal at the buzzer took them three points clear going into the final quarter. The fourth quarter was incredible, with Magic battling hard to stay within a point throughout. With the seconds ticking down, Starz had the ball, and all they had to do was score, and the game was over. Magic turned the ball over with twenty seconds left on the clock and went down the court to force the game into overtime. A feed to the shooter showed the Starz defender causing contact, and the Magic shooter, with zero seconds on the clock, had the chance to win the game. Everyone held their breath, and under the most extreme pressure, the Magic shooter scored, and the game went into overtime.
In overtime, Magic managed to get in front and held on for an incredible win, securing their first-ever YNPL National Title.
Result
Magic NC (27) Vs Starz NC (25)
All-Star Team
Alexia Battle (Oldham Owls), Nell Hutchinson (Chester NC), Megan Orton (Little Sutton), Stephanie Ulasi (AP Saints), Millie Edgar (MK Dons), Georgia Herridge (YWCA Bury), Chiara Herbst (Starz NC), Olivia Smith (Magic NC)
MVP - Leyla Jukes (Magic NC)