Schischka deals to big guns

Carterton bowler Robyn Schischka is still coming to terms with her win in this week's Bowls Manawatu open women's singles championship
Which is hardly surprising when you consider the quality of the opposition she beat on the Palmerston North greens on the way to the title.
Three of her eight victims were past winners of the event and at least half of them are current Manawatu senior representatives.
"I guess it's going to take a few days to sink in," Schischka said. "It was one of those times when you get on a roll and it just keeps going."
The possibility of her winning the title-and providing one of the best results for women's bowls in Wairarapa in years- had no part to play in Schischka's mind set when the tournament commenced on Monday.
Players had to win at least three of their four qualifying games to go forward to post-section play and Schischka made that her main goal.
"I'd have been happy to just qualify??. I certainly didn't set any targets beyond that," she said " Anything more was always going to be a bonus."
As it was Schischka was the only player amongst the 11 who qualified for post-section play on Tuesday who was not from the Manawatu region.
She won all four of her qualifying games with her most notable victory there coming against a past national pairs winner and holder of numerous Manawatu centre titles, Bev Budd.
Schischka didn't know it at the time but she was to meet Budd for a second time the next day??in the tournament decider.
Before that, however, Schischka faced a testing post-section draw.
Her first opponent there was current Manawatu senior rep Noeline Elston and, as it happened, this was to be her toughest game in the four still to come. It was neck-and-neck most of the way with Schischka getting home by just two shots, 21 to 19.
That victory took Schischka into the quarter-finals where she came up against her cousin and defending champion Ngaire Cowan.
Another close battle seemed likely but that was not to be with Schischka mastering the slick greens and tricky wind to win by a handsome 21-9.
It was much the same story in the semi-finals .There Schischka met a former titleholder in Lyn Metcalfe with Schischka calling the tune from go to whoa and winning 21-5.
The other semi-final was also something of a one-sided affair with Budd-another previous winner of the event- disposing off Nola Urbahn 21-7.
While Schischka's 21-12 winning margin in the tournament decider might suggest a comfortable victory for the Carterton player she herself did not see it that way.
After Schischka took an early lead Budd got into stride and the scores were
level at 9-9. Schischka then took the ascendancy again to lead at 16-11 at which stage she picked up a vital four shots to hold a 20-11 advantage, just one shot away from victory. Budd earned a shot at the next end before Schischka closed things up.
"I know the winning margin was nine shots but it never felt that easy," Schischka said. "I was never really confident of getting there until that last shot."