West Indies Women captain Merissa Aguilleira has put the burden of defeat squarely on her shoulders after witnessing her team succumb to a one-run defeat, at the hands of New Zealand Women, in the first match of their three-match One-Day International series at Sabina Park yesterday.

Aguilleira, who made a second-best score 43, was dismissed with West Indies needing 13 runs to win and three wickets in hand. With three balls to go West Indies were limited to 224 off 49.3 overs in reply to New Zealand's 225 for eight off 50 overs.

"I am not fully disappointed with how the team played today, but I am disappointed with myself," said Aguilleira.

"After getting the start I did, and helping to put us in a winning position, I should have bat through to the end, but I guess that is how it goes sometimes."

Aguilleira, who captained West Indies to the ICC World Twenty20 final in February, entered the game with the team tentatively set at 105 for four.

This was after a 47-run opening stand between Natasha McLean and Kycia Knight, who made 24 and 13, respectively, and 36 from the team's top batsman, Stafanie Taylor.

Aguilleira then went on to put on an innings leading 74-run fifth wicket stand with Deandra Dottin, who topscored with 65, and 26 with all-rounder Shanel Daley, who made seven.

However, after going for a boundary off fast bowler Nicola Browne, she was bowled thus becoming in the process one of the Kiwi three victims.