Netball: HGHS victims of Huias 'inside job'

Versatility Rules: Regular Huias midcourter Lee-Anne Taylor ruled the attacking circle in the goal attack role last night. Photo/Paul Taylor

IT was a drubbing few would have predicted and Hastings Girls High School Senior A team coach Amanda Petera put it down to a lack of confidence.

"We had a strong team but after a good start we lost our confidence. We let our intensity drop ... the old heads prevailed over the young heads," Petera said after her side's 63-36 loss to HHSOG Proactive Huias in a Championship round two Hawke's Bay Premier Club netball clash in Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena last night.

Petera could easily have put the defeat down to the inside knowledge the Huias side, which returned to the Super 8 grade the previous week, had on her troops. One of the key players for Huias, midcourter Abby Hall, is Petera's manager.

Hall and fellow midcourter Megan Lewis were prominent as Huias kept their attacking play at a hot pace.

Huias coach Rebecca Martin was impressed with her troops effort as they were missing two regular shooters and experienced midcourter Lee-Anne Taylor played goal attack.

Goal shoot Judy Brown shot all but three of the team's goals and finished with 60 from 72 attempts for an 82 per cent success rate.

Midcourter Summer Rose Taylor was the best of the HGHS players and Xharndaan Barnett had memorable patches with the goal attack and goal shoot bibs on.

The versatile Liana Mikaele-Tu'u sunk 13 of her 14 attempts when she played the first half in the attacking circle before changing to the other circle in an attempt to restrict Huias attacking freedom.

Huias got off to a good start. They were up 19-9 at the start of the second quarter, 33-18 at halftime and 48-25 after the third quarter.

In sharp contrast to HGHS, NGHS, pushed their opponents All In Elusive hard before losing the other early encounter 40-34.

As the score suggests it was a thriller. The score was 11-all after the first quarter, All In led 18-17 at halftime and 28-27 going into the final quarter.

"I knew it was going to be a good game and we had to fight for it. There was only 1m43s remaining when I knew we had the win," All In coach Charissa Barham said afterwards.

She praised the impact wing attack Tia Lewis and wing defence Brigitte Hollander had on the game in the second half.

Barham admitted the NGHS defenders did a top defensive job on her goal shoot Imke Kitchin in the first half but she was impressed with the manner in which Kitchin adapted in the second half.

"While we've still got some growths to make I prefer tight games like these," Barham added.

NGHS coach Annemarie Kupa had every right to heap kudos on her defensive trio of goal keep Valentine Kahukura, goal defence Jaydi Taylor-Chaffey and wing defence Jaimee Tapine.

"The whole defensive trio was awesome and Parris did a good job at the edge of the attacking circle," Kupa said, referring to her daughter and wing attack Parris Petera.

"Our young girls fit into this competition and I was happy with their patience. It was only in the those final couple of minutes when the old heads composure under pressure stood out," she added.

Defending champions Outkast Optimise Physio maintained their unbeaten run in the Championship round with a 49-36 win against Central Sports Vet Services HB.

Outkast led 12-8 after the first quarter, 24-11 at halftime and 37-26 going into the final quarter.

"It was a complete team performance," Outkast manager Lauren Marsh said before singling out dynamic midcourter Shyan Murphy and goalkeep Barbara Thompson as key contributors.

Central co-captain and midcourter Anna Cudby said defenders Bree White and Anna Parsons were workaholics in their defensive circle.

Shield round winners Otane Thirsty Whale walloped the non-training HHSOG Spicers Keas outfit 57-24 after leading 32-24 at halftime.

Otane coach Tammy Kupa said her troops were a little sluggish and found it hard to maintain their intensity in a tussle they were always going to win.