YMP apply pressure

YMP Sunshine Brewery wing attack Hine Hubbard (right) and Taste One HSOG wing defence Saffron Eparaima in a midcourt duel during their top-of-the-table Gisborne Pak’nSave premier netball game at the YMCA on Saturday. YMP continued the form that has them leading the competition with a 64-54 win, a dominant second quarter proving the difference. Picture by Paul Rickard

A second-quarter onslaught made the difference for YMP Sunshine Brewery in their top-of-the-table clash with Taste One High School Old Girls at the YMCA on Saturday morning.

YMP led the Pak’nSave premier grade netball game 16-13 after 15 minutes, and pressed home their advantage in the second quarter.

They outscored HSOG 18-10 to be in charge, 34-23, by halftime.

At three-quartertime, YMP led 49-38, and at the end, 64-54.

“It was a close and competitive game as predicted,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“YMP had a surge of goals in the second quarter, and forged an 11-goal lead by half time.

“Their midcourt — Hine Hubbard, Ata Mangu and Renee Waikare — were strong and linked well with both ends of the court.

“HSOG tried positional changes, but could not pull back the deficit.”

YMP coach Ingrid Brown said she felt her team controlled the game well at times.

“It was an awesome team effort by the girls. There were areas where we were a bit untidy at times, but they picked up on it.

“Our midcourt and attacking ends worked well for us.

YMP shooter Paku-Jane Skudder nailed 39 goals from 40 attempts.

“Paku-Jane was hot under the hoop today,” Brown said.

The combination between her and goal attack Bronya McMenamin was a feature.

“Bronya created some beautiful baseline drives and space in the circle,” Brown said.

“We were happy to secure the win, and I am proud of our squad.”

She picked Atu Mangu out as her player of the day.

“Sydney Rore in defence had some good intercepts and Raiha Campbell pulled in some good rebounds.”

HSOG coach Tanya Owen said YMP deserved the win.

“They outplayed us in that second quarter. We let them get the better of us. We got a bit frazzled.”

HSOG rallied in the second half, and Owen put that down to the insertion of livewire centre Katie Kirkpatrick into the game at halftime.

“Katie played her heart out and lifted us.”

But Owen said the game was about playing for the full hour, not just three-quarters.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board, and in a way it’s good the girls don’t get complacent.”

The midweek games at the YMCA pit HSOG against Claydens Waikohu, and Whangara Old Girls against Lytton Senior A.