Silver Ferns build confidence with tough win over Jamaica

Laura Langman catches the ball during the 2015 Netball World Cup Qualification round match between New Zealand and Jamaica. Photo / Getty Images

Silver Ferns 55
Jamaica 48

Confidence in the Silver Ferns camp continues to grow after the team survived a brutal clash with Jamaica in their second round match-up of the Netball World Cup tonight, showing maturity and composure to pull off a come from behind win.

After an impressive 52-47 win over Australia in their final pool play match on Sunday, the New Zealand side looked shaky early on in tonight's qualification round match, trailing the Sunshine Girls 27-24 at halftime.

But, unfazed by the physical approach of the Jamaicans, the Ferns kept their composure, slowly working their way back into the match over the second half, showing superior fitness and discipline to claim a seven-goal win.

The win puts the Silver Ferns in the box seat for a semifinals berth, with meetings against Malawi (tomorrow) and Uganda (Friday) to come.

New Zealand will likely meet the loser of last night's late game between Australia and England in Saturday's semifinals.

The Ferns managed to get a good look at the aerial Caribbean style earlier in the tournament when they met Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in pool play. But the Kiwi side still looked tentative early on, with shooters Bailey Mes and Maria Tutaia struggling to free themselves from the clutches of the Jamaica defence - sometimes literally.

But the Ferns were able to limit the damage early on, with the defence doing a good job of holding the Jamaicans up through the midcourt, stopping those long outlet passes into Romelda Aiken.

With the Jamaican attack struggling to click into gear, the Ferns raced out to a 10-5 lead, forcing the Sunshine Girls to call an injury time-out to address their scoring issues.

Whatever was said by coaches Jill McIntosh and Minneth Reynolds worked, with Jamaica immediately finding their rhythm to close it back up to 14-11 at the first break.

The momentum stayed with Jamaica in the second quarter, as wing attack Khadijah Williams began to weave her magic, playing a brilliant pivot role in the attack end. The speed and athleticism of Williams opened up the Jamaican attack, allowing for good quick ball into Aiken, which Kopua struggled to disrupt.

Down the other end of the court the Ferns shooting circle continued to struggle with Bailey Mes not coping well under the physical attention of Stacien Facey. Despite the work that was being done on her by Facey, it was Mes that found herself drawing the attention of the umpire, picking up 10 offensive penalties in the first half.

With the Ferns handing over the limited defensive wins they got straight back over at the other end, the Jamaicans outscored New Zealand 16-10 for the spell to take a 27-24 lead at the halftime break.

A more composed Ferns' line-up returned after the break, as the New Zealand side were more clever about how they worked the ball into the shooting circle.

The Ferns were also a lot more effective on defence, with Kayla Cullen again back to her disruptive best in the midcourt. By the final turn the Ferns had gone from three down to three up.

They continued to surge ahead in the final period as the Jamaicans discipline and fitness let them down in the closing stages.