NETBALL: Strong finish as Flyers rebound

Shane NHurndell
What an improvement ... and Flyers netball coach Tanya Dearns attributed it to two words - "self respect."
"It was crucial we finished on a good note. It would have been a long off-season if we played as bad as last week again," Dearns said after the MoreFM Flyers 47-30 loss to the Diamonds at Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena yesterday.
It was a vast improvement on the previous week's 65-18 loss to the Flames at the same venue and surprisingly the buildup was no different. The Flyers still assembled the day before the game and earlier in the week trained in their Hawke's Bay-based, Taranaki-based and Manawatu-based regional groups.
"Self respect was the only difference," said Dearns, who is looking forward to the second season of her two-year contract next year.
Just how many of this season's squad will be available to her again remains to be seen. Dearns started the season without five of last year's Flyers and several of this season's squad have yet to finalise their tertiary education commitments for next year.
"I'll have a break and then I'll sit down and review this season and look at ways of improving things for next year in terms of preparation and the best opportunity for our players," the former Silver Fern added.
The Flyers certainly took their opportunities in the first quarter and deserved their 9-8 lead. In the second quarter they turned the ball over far too often, allowed the Diamonds to score five unanswered goals and the visitors were ahead 21-14 by the halftime siren.
Silver Ferns defender Anna Scarlett, playing at goal keep for the Diamonds, played a major role in forcing the turnovers. Another of the Diamonds Silver Ferns, Maria Tutaia, succeeded with seven of her eight attempts at goal in the third quarter as the Diamonds established a 32-21 lead.
In her return to the National Bank Cup after a two-week stint with the New Zealand Secondary Schools side, Woodford House 18-year-old Charlotte Kight, was outstanding in all three defensive positions she played during the game. She collected a prize for a spectacular second quarter intercept.
Scarlett deserved her defensive player-of-the-match award. Former Silver Fern and Diamonds centre Victoria Edward captured the midcourter-of-the-match award.
Another Diamond, Jo Morrison, who played one half at goal shoot and another at goal attack, took home the attacker-of-the-match and overall player-of-the-match awards. She shot 24 of her 25 attempts at goal while Tutaia succeeded with 21 of her 28 attempts.
For the Flyers Otane's Kiley Hikawai sunk five of her seven attempts, former Physique 2000 player Malu Fa'asavalu nine of her 17 attempts, Hayley Stockman five of her eight attempts and Amber Bellringer 11 of her 20 attempts.
With the Flames upsetting the Sting 51-48 in Invercargill yesterday the Diamonds missed out on a berth in the semifinals which will see the Sting host Magic in Invercargill on Friday and the Force host the Flames in North Shore on Sunday.
The winner of the Sting-Magic clash earns a berth in the June 30 final while the loser plays the winner of the Flames-Force game on June 23 to determine the other finalist.