Netball: Crowded race for last place

By JULIE ASH

Three teams are in the hunt for the two remaining semifinal spots going into what should be a fascinating final round of the national league this weekend.

The Southern Sting and North Harbour's Force have already secured their places in the top four, but for the Canterbury Flames, Otago Rebels and Capital Shakers, the race is still on.

To reach the top four, all three must win their final games.

The Flames have to beat the Western Flyers in Palmerston North, and the Shakers have to down the Cometz in Wellington. The Rebels have the hardest job, having to out-muscle the Force at the North Shore Events Centre on Sunday.

If all three win, the Shakers will miss out.

The Force continued their winning run yesterday with a convincing 79-46 win over the Counties Manukau Cometz at North Shore.

The Force led by four goals in the first quarter after a fairly low-key start and it took them well into the second quarter to work up a 10-goal advantage.

Once again, centre Temepara Clark had a strong game for the Force while goal shoot Daneka Wipiiti had an easy day at the office, helped by a huge height advantage over the opposition.

One of those defenders provided a dramatic moment in the third quarter - Cometz goal keep Allison Toi went flying off the court through the sponsors' signage and into the Force drinks station spilling all their water.

The Force were up 54-35 going into the last quarter, when coach Maria Lynch brought captain Linda Vagana on to goal keep and Jenna Swann onto wing attack from the bench. Vagana's presence had an immediate impact and the Force ran away with the game.

Lynch said it was great to win but she is looking forward to the game against the Rebels, which should be closer.

"It will be good to have a good tussle before the semis. We got a big score up here today but it is not the same as having that mental toughness as well as the physical toughness."

There is also good news for the Force regarding Silver Fern Sheryl Clarke. She rolled an ankle two weeks ago but is expected to return for the semifinals.

This time last year, the Force were in second spot but had a bye in the last round, which enabled three teams to overtake them and secure semifinal spots.

"It went right down to the wire last year," said Lynch.

"So it is nice to know we have already secured second place and a home semi."

Former New Zealand coach Yvonne Willering and her Fijian squad were watching the game. They have spent a week in Auckland training against the Force and Auckland club teams.

The Fijian squad of 16 will be reduced to 12 for the Commonwealth Games after the New Zealand under-21 side's tour of Fiji.

In other National Bank-sponsored cup matches, the Diamonds were unable to end their season on a high, going down to the Rebels 48-46 at Dunedin.

Coach Georgina Salter said her team were now referred to as the entertainers, as their loss to the Rebels follows their one-goal defeat by the Shakers last weekend.

"It was tied at 46-46, then we missed a goal right under the basket and they went down and scored and then had the next centre pass off.

"We build you up and then if you are one of our supporters we dump on you."

She said the Diamonds had "underachieved" this season but was confident the right building blocks were in place for next season.

In other results from the weekend, the Sting edged out the Flames 53-47 and the Shakers beat the Flyers 65-40.

The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic had the bye.