Netball: Bay reach top 16 with big win

Hawke's Bay's Summer-Rose Taylor passes off from centre during the win against Rotorua. Photo/Supplied

Hawke's Bay have qualified for the top 16 at the national under-17 netball tournament for the second consecutive year courtesy of a convincing win against Rotorua yesterday.

The Lee-Anne Taylor-coached Bay team had to beat Rotorua in their second outing on day two of the 40-team Pukekohe-hosted nationals to qualify after losing 56-29 to North Harbour One earlier in the day. Taylor's troops ticked this assignment off with a 45-25 victory to finish second in their pool.

Hawke's Bay had an early lead against Rotorua and scored in waves of four with goal shoot Imke Kitchin owning the shooting circle. Midcourters Summer-Rose Taylor and Maddison Kaye found the circle edge and Janayah Lewis easily fed into Kitchin. With strong defence by Valentine Kahukura and Bree White shutting down Rotorua's options and wing defence Jaimee Tapine hunting plenty of loose ball in the second quarter, Hawke's Bay led 23-13 at halftime.

The injection of Aotearoa Maori Secondary Schools rep Asher Grapes at centre and Hinehea Keil at wing attack saw more ball into the shooting circle for Lewis and Kitchin. Goal keep Zana Renton worked hard against a physical shooting circle and pulled in some key rebounds to provide more opportunities to score.

A change in the shooting circle with Lewis and Grapes moving to create space for feeders Keil and Myer Crawford-Pakoti saw the Bay extend their lead and secure the win. Coach Taylor had every right to be proud of her team.

"We worked hard on court and created some great intercepts for Jaimee and Summer-Rose and our attacking end stuck to the game plan and finished off."

Against a sharp North Harbour One team Hawke's Bay trailed 16-7 after the first quarter and 30-13 at halftime. A strong third quarter from the Bay saw them match North Harbour One goal for goal but the damage was done and North Harbour were rewarded for their superior hunger.

"Although we were under pressure, when we executed our game plan and let the ball go there were beautiful passages of play," Hawke's Bay assistant coach Rebecca Martin said.

Hawke's Bay will meet Wellington Black in the first of their crossover games at 10.25am today.

"We are lucky to have faced them in a pre-season tournament and have improved vastly since then. If we execute the game plan we will give ourselves every chance to be in the top eight," coach Taylor said.

Hawke's Bay recorded a top-eight finish last year.