Netball: Bay teens court success

Olivia Macaulay (GK) from hawke's Bay jumps high to defend as Hawke's Bay take on North Harbour.

Midcourter Kimiora Poi and shooter Kelsey McPhee gave the Hawke's Bay under-17 netball team plenty of ammunition for celebration after their national tournament ended in North Harbour yesterday.

Despite their EIT-sponsored Hawke's Bay side finishing 23rd in the 40-team event, the Napier Girls' High School pair were selected in the 18-strong tournament team. The Bay's finish was a vast improvement on their third-to-last placing in Napier last year.

Bay coach Lee-Anne Taylor said the pair's selection reflected the skills and consistency they displayed all tournament.

Taylor was thrilled with the improvement her entire squad displayed.

"All players have continued to improve and push to be in the starting seven," Taylor said.

"While we had our opportunities to push for higher placings we showed that we have the skills to match larger centres' teams."

Hawke's Bay beat Papakura 37-26 in the playoff for 23rd. The first-half shooting combination of goal attack McPhee and goal shoot Tiara Crichton scored with ease to give the Bay an 11-3 lead after the first quarter.

Captain Molly Deighton's through-court attacking skills were prominent and Poi continued to exert her dominance on attack and defence picking up several intercepts.

Earlier, the Bay lost 43-38 to Canterbury Country after leading 23-20 at halftime. There were several key moments in the second half with Olivia Macaulay, Demi Forshaw and Poi creating turnovers, however the lack of accuracy in the attacking end meant these weren't always converted.

Despite being competitive, failure to finish in such pressure situations was disappointing, assistant coach Kane Makea said after the loss.

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