Harcourts coach Kelly Sargent is bemused as to why her team's play-off with PIC 2
for fifth and sixth in division one of the regional superleague netball competition isn't being played at their home venue, the Genesis Recreation Centre, in Masterton, on Saturday.
Sargent was of the understanding that was always
to be the case, and the initial draw for the superleague certainly indicated it, but as it happens the game will be played at Walter Nash Stadium in Taita.
"No one has told us why a change has been made, I guess they just expect us to grin and bear it," Sargent said.
"And, really, what else can we do?"
Sargent has already met PIC 2 twice this season for two relatively hefty defeats but she believes the most recent loss actually provided a valuable lesson leading into this weekend's match.
A slow start then saw PIC 2 establish a huge lead over the first two quarters and while Harcourts finished strongly they were never a winning chance.
"Fitness-wise we can foot it with them, and are actually probably better than them, so if we can stay in touch early on we'd have to be in with a chance of making a very close game of it," Sargent said.
Just what the Harcourts starting line-up will be won't be finalised until closer to match day with the likes of Elena Heggie and Emma Foote battling injury and Sargent struggling with the 'flu.
In a perfect world Heggie and Sarah Brooking would probably be at goal keep and goal defence respectively, Te Ata Phillips at wing defence, Katie Wyeth at centre, Emma Foote at wing attack and Geraldine Carroll and Kelly Sargent in the shooting roles.
