Bermuda’s netball team were beaten in their opening match at the Central American and Caribbean Games on Monday.

The Longtails lost 57-25 to Barbados in their first match in Group A, with most of the damage done in the first half, with Bermuda trailing 32-9 at the end of the first two quarters.

The team fought hard in the second half, with their strongest performance coming in the final quarter, in which they scored nine times.

Attackers Keizhari Knight and Selah Tuzo did well with the limited opportunities they had ― Knight scoring with 14 of her 17 shots and Tuzo netting ten of her 13 attempts. Terita Moira came up with Bermuda’s only other point.

On the defensive end, Debre Evans, Kiante Lightbourne and Inshan-Nae Smith all came up with two interceptions.

Bermuda face an even bigger challenge in their next game against Caribbean giants Jamaica on Tuesday (5pm Bermuda time). Although Jamaica are not fielding any of the squad that finished with the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games last week, they are still expected to prove formidable opponents.

Taking on Jamaica has been something of a theme for Bermuda teams at these Games with the hockey team closing out their campaign against familiar rivals.

Bermuda had beaten Jamaica 1-0 in the group stages of the competition but this time was playing for the finishing position of seventh.

This time around it was Jamaica who came out on top, with Talia Packham scoring the only goal in the first quarter to consign Bermuda to eighth position.