Team Bath Netball’s Jayda Pechova. Photo: Morgan Harlow.

It was a first Vitality Roses senior appearance on home soil for the 19-year-old defender, who came off the bench in all three matches as England eventually came out on top 2-1 overall.

Pechova, a University of Bath Trendell Sporting Scholar, came on for her home debut in the closing stages of Wednesday’s 54-51 victory in front of a record crowd at Manchester’s AO Arena.
She was introduced to the action at half-time of Saturday’s 61-59 defeat at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, then helped the Roses protect a narrow lead in the final quarter of Sunday’s series decider which the hosts won 53-50.

Pechova is all set for her second Super League season with the Blue & Gold of Team Bath in 2024. Tickets for all nine home matches in the new year, plus the pre-season tri-tournament on Sunday 14^th January, are on sale now at netball.teambath.com/tickets.

With thanks to Team Bath

It will be a second successive appearance at the tournament for the 19-year-old defender, who competed on the senior international stage for the first time at the 2022 event.

It is also a quick return to New Zealand for Pechova, who made her senior Test debut in last month’s Taini Jamison Trophy series against the Silver Ferns.

Pechova combines her netball career with a Sports Performance foundation degree at the University of Bath, where she is supported by a Trendell Sporting Scholarship. She is joined in the 10-strong squad by University of Bath alumnae and former Team Bath Super League player Paige Reed.

The FAST5 Netball World Series will see England, who finished fourth last year, will come up against the other sides ranked in the world’s top six nations – New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica, South Africa and Malawi. The teams will go head-to-head in preliminary matches before competing for final placings on the last day.

Tickets are now on sale to see Pechova and her Team Bath team-mates in Super League action at the Team Bath Arena during the 2024 season – visit netball.teambath.com/tickets for more details.

With thanks to Team Bath

The University of Bath Sports Performance student, who is supported by a Trendell Sporting Scholarship, is among seven potential debutants in a youthful Vitality Roses squad set to contest the Taini Jamison Trophy against the Silver Ferns.

Goal-keeper Pechova, who was voted as Team Bath’s Most Valuable Player during the 2023 Super League season by both the fans and her team-mates, has previously represented England at the 2022 Fast5 Netball World Series in Christchurch but has yet to play a full international.

University of Bath alumna Sophie Drakeford-Lewis is one of the most experienced players in a 14-strong squad, which doesn’t feature any of the players who helped England win silver at the 2023 Netball World Cup earlier this month.

The three-match series will see the Roses take on the Ferns in Christchurch on Sunday 24th September (4am BST), in Porirua on Wednesday 27th September (7.30am BST) and in Hamilton on Saturday 30th September (7.10am BST).

With thanks to Team Bath