HSOG tough test for the students

Reach out: High School Old Girls goal defence Kelly Swann-Ferris (right) beats Horouta Gold goal shoot Shannon Tutemahurangi. Swann-Ferris is one of the most experienced defenders in local netball and will be a major stumbling block for Gisborne Girls’ High School tomorrow night. Picture by Paul Rickard

Gisborne Girls’ High School netballers face another tough test tomorrow night when they take on Taste One High School Old Girls in Pak’nSave premier grade netball at the YMCA.

The students won by three goals when the teams met in grading.

“However, since then HSOG have been playing well,” netball commentatator Sherrill Beale said.

“Last week they showed they have strength on the bench when all players took the court in their win against Horouta Gold, and yet they still played as a team on attack and defence.”

Beale said the students had been a bit “up and down” in their last outings.

“They will need to play as well as they did in the final quarter of their match against Lytton High Senior A last Wednesday night.”

Girls’ High lost the match 44-37 but outscored Lytton in the final 15 minutes.

“They pulled back the deficit in that last quarter and they will need to play that well again tomorrow night if they want this win,” Beale said.

“Both teams will have their supporters out in full force, so the YMCA will be buzzing.”

Girls’ High coach Irene Takao said after her team’s last match that she was happy with the development the girls had been showing in each game.

She will want to see that continue tomorrow night.

HSOG coach Tanya Owen said she was really happy with the way her players had grown the team culture to this point of the season.

“The good connections the girls have on and off the court are really working for us.

“We’ve worked hard outside training as well, with a lot of time spent together with personal training. They’ve built friendships outside our training and playing environment, and they’re getting the results because of it.

“However, we will not take the students lightly tomorrow night.

“But we will still look to get everyone in the squad out on court.”

HSOG sit with YMP on top of the table.

The match starts at 6.30pm and is the only match on the programme tomorrow night.