Netball: Otane make emphatic point against All In Elusive

NGHS Senior A goal shoot Laike Baker concentrates on the hoop as Huias defender Catrina O'Donnell tries to distract her last night. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

For player-coach Tammy Kupa, it was always going to be a case of driving home a point, or two, last night.

"There's no excuses for them this time with that scoreline," said Kupa last night after her Otane Thirsty Whale side thumped All In Elusive 53-34 in the championship round four of the Super 8 netball competition.

In the four-round shield finals in May, Otane had overwhelmed the Charissa Barham-coached All In Elusive 60-43 at Woodford House Gym but the latter were questioning the spirit of the game amid concerns over whether the victors should have ushered in shooter Kelsey McPhee who was in the Central mix of the Beko Netball League.

"Kelsey, who they say won the game for us, was injured and has been off for two weeks," said Kupa, revealing defender Tajalee Stephenson and Bridget de Latour also were out with knee injuries.

"We just wanted to play for the team and to prove a point, to be quite honest.

"There was a lot of focus on one player the last time and that's been [given as] the cause of their loss so I just wanted to show they just need to focus on their game because when teams do that, they get better."

She lauded her defenders, Alex Balhorn and Briar Chalmers, although goal shoot Ashlee Wilson was on song. Wing attack Treyanna Faulkner also got marks for helping feed into the circle.

Outkast Optimise Physio also left their calling card on the doorstep of Hastings Girls' High School Senior A 50-34.

Player-coach Jeda Bartlett said that was a testimony to her troops "getting into the groove of things".

Bartlett was pleasantly surprised at how quickly her team had found some cohesiveness and vision after a sluggish start to the defending champions' season.

She singled out goal attack Maddie Pakoti after Corra Quinn was rested due to an injury in the last round. Amanda Palmer and Julie Varcoe put up the shutters.

"Maddie and Vanna [Sullivan] worked well in the attacking circle," she said, revealing shooter Crystal Kavana was brought in from the second team with great impact off the bench.

Promoted HHSOG Proactive Huias had a nail-biter with NGHS Senior A, pipping them 45-42.

Central Sports Vet Services HB beat HHSOG Spicers Keas 64-41.

Central co-coach Jeanette Oliver Taylor said it was comfortable in the second half.

"We were pushed to the max in the first ... but we settled into the game a little bit and started thinking about what we were doing," said Taylor, adding some changes did the trick.

That included Jessica Greig starting at goal attack before another positional shuffle that saw Tia Maniapoto-Cheer coming into the fray from the bench with aplomb as co-captain Kirby Heath slipped on the GA bib.

"We also had solid defensive performances around the court which turned over some good balls for us so we just made sure we capitalised on it which we were failing to do in previous games."

Taylor said her troops were now finding momentum to be where they want to be - the top four when the dust starts settling.

"We have the ability to earn that position but we haven't worked for it at the moment."

Taylor lamented Central's inability to string four decent quarters but was mindful other teams were refining their systems as well.

"We seem to fizzle in one third and that becomes quite costly at the end of the day."