South West Regional 2
Swindon Pinehurst 96, Bridgwater Jupiter 33

JUPITER travelled to Swindon to restart the season after the Christmas break.

Their shooting combination of Kia Jenner (GA) and Maddie Kennard (GS) worked well with Cerys Ethridge at WA, finishing the first quarter 11-20.

Pinehurst continued to pull away to 42-18 at half-time, then injuries to Jupiter players saw them trailing 68-25 going into the final quarter.

Jupiter continued to give 100 per cent but could just not get it together.

Players of the match: Cerys Ethridge & Eve Jenner; opposition player: Emily Bridges; sponsor: Associated Roofing & Maintenance

Somerset Premier Division
Bridgwater Saturn 42, Kestrels 53

SATURN began strongly, with Rebecca Dunn (GD) and Emma Cocks (GK) working well to win turnovers and get the ball down the court, but the first quarter ended 15-11 to Kestrels.

Hannah Sayer (WA), Lauren Cook (C) and Aiste Mockeliunaite (WD) tried their hardest to get the ball into the shooters, but failed to overturn the Kestrels’ lead, despite some great shots from Morganne Dunn and Jessie Woodberry.

Saturn went in to the final quarter 44-31 down but could only swap goals with Kestrels to lose by 11.

POM: Emma Cocks and Aiste Mockeliunaite

Somerset Division 1
Sydenham Sapphires 61, Bridgwater Neptune 28

NEPTUNE began well against an experienced team but Sapphires capitalised on turnovers to lead 12-7 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Neptune brought Elaine Bowerman on at centre, and Emily Harwood (GK) made some amazing interceptions.

Neptune continued to battle away with Flora Horrox (GS) and Katie Harris (GA) finding the target but Sapphires still led 45-21 going into the final quarter, a deficit which was extended.

POM: Flora Horrox; sponsor: TMB Patterns Ltd

Somerset Division 2
Bridgwater Venus 34, Walton 55

VENUS returned from the Christmas break with plenty of determination and were just two goals adrift after the first quarter.

Chris Durant (WD), Emily Harwood (GD) and Ashlea Slater (GK) worked tirelessly but Walton’s shooters extended their lead to 28-13.

Elaine Bowerman (C), Chris Shaw (WA), Izzy Innalls (GA), Kayleigh Martin-Haste (GS) and player of the match Ashlea Slater (GK) helped reduce the deficit, but Walton pulled away again in the final quarter.

Sponsor: PAW Engineering Ltd

Somerset Division 3
Bridgwater Mars 37, Kingfishers 46

MARS began by working well together, with Jess Chee (C) and Anna Belcher (WA) supporting the attack, but they trailed 14-6 and then 27-13 at halfway.

Jo Prowse and Sharon Ethridge made an impact to reduce the deficit but, despite 100 per cent effort, Kingfishers saw it out.

POM: Becky Kennard

***

Somerset Division 2
Yeovil Aldon 50, Sydenham Rubies 57

RUBIES played a hard-fought away game at Aldon, winning by seven goals.

The visitors went ahead with great play from centre court players Sammie Brown and Stephanie Gibson, feeding into Justine Pearn and Carly Langdon.

Their fine shooting enabled Rubies to go five goals up after the first quarter.

Despite Rubies increasing their lead through the first part of the second and third quarters, the home team continued to push hard, keeping the scoreline to within five or six goals.

The defence consistently applied pressure, though, with great tips and interceptions by Grace Morris and Jess Bull, and the visitors won 57-50.

Player of the match: Justine Pearn; umpires’ player of the match: Justine Pearn and Katie Issitt; opposition player of the match: Jess Bull; sponsor: Homes in Sedgemoor

Somerset Division 3
Tor Thorns 27, Sydenham Emeralds 25

EMERALDS’ first game of the new year was at Thorns, and the visitors started positively.

Thorns pulled ahead in the second quarter, but Emeralds, after some positional changes, stayed strong.

In the third quarter, Emeralds stepped up a gear in attack, and in the last period they narrowed the gap, but lost by two goals.

POM and UPOM: Lilly; sponsor: Countrywide Windows