“It was a close, competitive game for the full hour,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.
“HSOG played hard, fast netball with all players working together and backing each other up when needed, while Waikohu played a slower, more controlled game with all players doing their part.”
Beale said it looked as though HSOG had the game sewn up going into the last quarter when they were up by seven goals.
“However, Waikohu had different ideas and scored the next five goals before HSOG slotted one,” she said.
“Five minutes into the fourth quarter, the score was 40-37 to HSOG.
“It was hard to single out players as they all worked for each other.”
HSOG shooters Marcia Beale and Lisa Basford in the first half and Ashleigh Brown and Basford in the second moved well in the goal circle and gave their feeders good options, she said.
“Waikohu moved Ariz Ruru from shooter to defence halfway through the first quarter and she helped to stop some of the high balls going in to Marcia.
“The HSOG defenders — Arna Majstrovic, Kelly Swann-Ferris and Sarah Cox — worked tirelessly. They stopped many of the high ball going into Waikohu’s shooters.”
It felt great to live to fight another dayHSOG coach Tanya Owen said it felt great to live to fight another day.
“Waikohu threw everything as us,” she said.
“It was real semifinal netball. It could have gone either way.”
“The girls played as a team, and were determined not to finish fourth.
“We need to maintain that same mentality for Wednesday’s game against YMP.”
Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said her girls did very well in a tough semifinal.
“We had to make a few changes due to injury, but that’s been the story of our season,” she said.
“We finished in the top four, and that’s our goal every year, so from that point we finished the season pretty happy.
“Our time will come.”
In the other match on Saturday, sensationally, Champers Horouta Gold finished the season fifth after languishing on the bottom of the seven-team table all season.
They beat Gisborne Girls’ High School 50-48.
The students led 14-11 at the end of the first quarter, 26-24 at halftime and 39-34 at three-quartertime.
“The students played some good netball and worked together well,” Beale said.
“They had the lead for the majority of the game — but not when it counted.”
She said Horouta Gold played controlled netball and kept the scoreline within reach.
“In the last quarter, their experienced players stepped up, pressured Girls’ High into errors and pulled back the deficit.
“With five minutes to go, the score was level at 45-all.
“Then it was goal for goal, with the supporters doing their best to bring their team home.
“Horouta will be happy to finish fifth.”
