Netball: Champion shooter comes out on top

Waikato's Evelyn Horomia gets the ball from Auckland Waitakere's Stephanie Bond. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Waikato's Irene van Dyk completed her warm-down with a blue icepack firmly planted on her right thigh last night, the result of her torrid battle with Anna Scarlett in the national championships in Auckland.

While Scarlett and her Auckland Waitakere teammate Stephanie Bond are well known for their unforgiving clashes with the world's best shooter, yesterday it was van Dyk who was triumphant.

Not only did her Waikato team beat Auckland Waitakere 48-40, but they also showed they had gone a long way towards solving their attacking problems.

In their opening three games of the Scottwood Trust Championship, played the weekend before last, Waikato looked vulnerable on attack, particularly in the goal attack and wing attack positions.

While they weren't entirely silky-smooth, yesterday there was a definite improvement.

Liana Barrett-Chase was powerful at wing attack and both goal attacks, Evelyn Horomia and Halana Leith, performed strongly alongside van Dyk, who netted 42 of her side's 48 shots.

Van Dyk said she was pleased with her side's improvement on attack but reckons they are still performing at around only 60 per cent of their best.

"I think that urgency is back," she said.

"It is hard when young players come in. You have to show them that it is hard being at the top and you need to actually drive to the ball. I think they actually realise that now and that urgency has been installed in them."

With today the final day of section play, Waikato are set to advance to the top six playoffs along with Auckland Waitakere and Southland in pool B.

In Pool A, Canterbury, North and Otago appear to have done enough to go through.

While Southland, Canterbury, North and Otago all had comfortable wins yesterday, Waikato had to work for their victory against Auckland Waitakere.

Several times in the second half just four goals separated the two sides.

The telling factor was Auckland Waitakere's high turnover rate. The side missed Jenny-May Coffin who is sidelined with a calf injury and not expected to return until later in the week.

Waikato led 16-9 at the first quarter break which they extended to 26-18 at halftime.

Waikato's Casey Williams and Joline Henry had plenty of defensive success.

Scarlett and Bond had a good tussle with van Dyk but were often on the wrong side of the umpires' calls. Waikato had 10 more shots at goal than Auckland Waitakere. For Auckland Waitakere, Maria Tutaia scored 24 of her 30 attempts, Paula Griffin 10 from 14 and Susan Tagicakibau 6 from 7.

Auckland Waitakere coach Paula Bailey said her side were confident they could win but losing Coffin did upset things.

"We beat ourselves under pressure; there were balls there we didn't need to feed. It was us doing it to ourselves."

NATIONAL CHAMPS

Trusts Stadium, Waitakere.

Today's first grade games:

* North v Wellington, 12.15pm

* Waikato v Bay of Plenty, 12.15pm.

* Auckland Waitakere v Southland, 2pm

* Canterbury v Otago, 2pm

* Counties Manukau v Eastern, 3.45pm

* Tasman v Western, 3.45pm.