Having impressed in her team’s final pre-season debut match ahead of the start of the 2016 Vitality National Super Netball League season in England, new Hertfordshire Mavericks, T&T’s Samantha Wallace is now looking ahead to the start of the tournament.
The Toco-born Wallace impressed with a 42-goal haul on her debut in a 55-40 friendly win over Loughborough Lightning at the University of Hertfordshire Sports Village, in Hatfield on Saturday.
The T&T international who turned 22 on Saturday last (January 16) had trained just once with her new team ahead of the game and speaking with the Welwyn Hatfield Times admitted it took her time to adjust to the speed of play.
A standout for T&T at the 14th Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia last year, Wallace said: “It was pretty intense for me. In my country back home we don’t play that fast like zip, zip, zip. It was good for me to see where I’m at fitness-wise and I enjoyed it. I was nervous the first two quarters, and in the last quarter I felt in my comfort zone and performed better.”
Mavericks fans were left applauding the former University of T&T player who shone with a 91 per cent shooting success rate and showed excellent handling and movement around the circle
“That’s my job to shoot, that’s why I have the GS bib, I missed a shot which I was most upset about, but I’ve just got to work on it,” she added.
Wallace admitted she has plenty to learn about her team and the Vitality Superleague, but has followed the league previously online. “My coach Bridget Adams told me about the Mavericks [interest in her], there’s a lot of Sams - Sam Castle, Sam Bird - here and so I thought I could fit in and with a woman coach for the first time, I chose here,” Wallace said.
“I used to follow it (the Superleague) from back home on YouTube so I have an idea of who I was going to play against and with. I know Layla (Guscoth) the Mavericks captain as I have played against her in U21s and seniors and I know how tough she is.
“I’m pretty excited for the start of the league and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Both Mavericks and Lightning missed their England internationals, due to this week’s test series against Australia, for this warm-up clash ahead of the season-opening Vitality Netball Super League Super Saturday (January 30). Mavericks were 13-12 ahead after the opening quarter at the Herts Sports Village and had stretched their advantage to 28-23 by half-time.
Mavericks captain Guscoth also starred in her defensive role and racked up 22 turnovers as the hosts extended their advantage to 40-30 by the end of the third quarter before securing the victory.
When the season jumps off on January 30, Mavericks, champions in 2007-2008 and 2010-2011 as well as runner-up five times including last season will meet Celtic Dragons in a 6pm (TT time) clash which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The Mavericks, who were also third in 2013-2014 and 2011-2012 as well as fourth in 2012-2013 also believe they have the best depth of talent in the shooting circle of all the Super League teams with four to five shooters being 6 feet 3 inches tall and highly versatile players.
The five other clubs in the league five other clubs in the league are Surrey Storm, Team Bath, Team Northumbria, Manchester Thunder and Yorkshire Jets.