DO OR DIE: Girls’ High, YMP in battle for grand final berth

AERIAL CONTEST: Gisborne Girls' High School's Joaquina Kaa (left) and YMP's Paku-Jane Skudder contest possession in the May sunshine at Victoria Domain. Tomorrow Girls' High and YMP meet under lights at the YMCA, where they will contest the remaining grand final berth. Waikohu (1) await the winners of tomorrow's game, which starts at 6pm. File picture by Paul Rickard

A “PUMPED-UP” Gisborne Girls' High School face a “hungry” YMP in a do-or-die premier-grade netball semifinal tomorrow night.

The YMCA will be a cauldron for netball fans with two great games in store.

Grand finalists Claydens Waikohu (1) await the winners of the 6pm clash between YMP (1) and Gillies Electrical Gisborne Girls' High School Senior A.

That game is followed at 7.40pm by the fifth/sixth positional playoff between F45 High School Old Girls and Whangara Old Girls (1).

Last Wednesday produced two exciting games.

YMP lost by one goal to Waikohu in an edge-of-the-seat top-two semifinal, the winners advancing directly to the final.

Girls' High eliminated JT Contractors Horouta Gold 48-36 in the 3 v 4 knockout semifinal to set up tomorrow's clash with YMP.

The question for Girls' High is whether they can they repeat their heroics of August 10 when they stunned YMP 40-38 in round-robin play — YMP's first defeat of the season.

YMP will be ruing their loss to Waikohu and are expected to come out firing tomorrow night.

But they face a Girls' High team who have grown in confidence and strength throughout the court as the season has progressed.

Last Wednesday's win against Horouta was an example of that. They played as a team with every member doing their job.

Girls' High coach Tanya Owen said her girls were looking forward to tomorrow.

“Everybody's excited to be playing in a semifinal with a chance to make the final, which is something these girls have not done before,” Owen said.

“They're pumped for it and they have belief they can go all the way.

“But we know YMP are a tough, well-drilled team and it's not going to be easy.

“Having said that, the girls have nothing to lose and they'll give it everything.”

YMP coach Ingrid Brown will also have her team well and truly ready.

“I want the team to come out hungry and firing right from the first whistle,” she said.

“I know the Girls' High camp will be up for it and we have to match, if not better, their intensity.

“We need to drive hard on to the ball and any turnovers we get, we need to finish off.

“It is a do-or-die game for both teams. You're either in or you're out.”

Supporters of both teams were out in vocal force last Wednesday and similar fan intensity is expected tomorrow.

The HSOG-Whangara game brings together two teams with a rivalry dating back many years.

Both clubs have tasted premier glory and while that won't be the case this year, pride is on the line so this game will be hotly contested with plenty of skills on display.

Whangara have won two of their three clashes this season, although HSOG won the most recent.

Both teams moved the ball at speed and produced quality passages of play.

HSOG led for the full hour but Whangara pulled back the deficit in the last quarter to earn a bonus point for finishing within five goals.

Expect it to be close again tomorrow night.