Netball: Sting through in thriller

Sting 64 Force 59

Young Force shooters Daneka Wipiiti and Bridget Tapene discovered the cruel twists sport can throw up in Invercargill last night.

The Sting, second best for much of the night, roared home at the death in their National Bank Cup semifinal to clinch a place in next Friday's final against the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in Hamilton.

The Force, trying to make the final for just the second time, had the winning of the game in the final few seconds. But in a jarring double blow, Wipiiti, then Tapene, who had been outstanding throughout the game, both missed shots from handy range to set up extra time.

The Sting, armed with bucketloads of experience, regained a lead they had not had since the second minute, and barrelled away with five goals on the trot. From 51-all at fulltime, it was one-way traffic as the Sting, getting a second wind as the Force stumbled, maintained their remarkable record of having been in all nine cup finals.

They will chase their seventh title against the Magic. But for so much of last night's thriller in the Southland chiller it seemed the Force would press on to make their second final appearance.

Younger legs, strong defensive work from Leana de Bruin and Lorna Suafoa, slick and sharp midcourt work plus Wipiiti and Tapene's accuracy in the goal circle seemed set to carry the Force home.

But Sting coach Robyn Broughton, looking for a quick fix at halftime, when her team trailed 29-25, brought double international Donna Loffhagen on, after a 12-month absence from the court.

It had a mixed effect, she missed her first three shots, but got stronger. More crucially, Australian international Natalie Avellino was brought on at goal attack, and was outstanding.

Avellino provided the spark, allied to classy shooting, which had been missing earlier, despite Belinda Colling having a strong first half.

"We were confident at three-quarter time," Avellino said, despite the Force still leading 41-37 at that point. "We had self belief, even though we were down we knew we could come back."

Much of the match had a pattern to it, whereby the Force would edge clear, only for the Sting, as if clinging onto their coat tails, to grind their way back.

Goal shoot Wipiiti, rattled in her first eight shots and seemed set to finish the job until things got shaky in the final quarter, the only period the Sting won. Her partnership with goal attack Tapene often appeared to have a touch of the telepathic.

Tapene overcame a first quarter reluctance to put up her shots and was an effective foil for Wipiiti.

The Force were 14-12 up at the first quarter, and Tania Dalton, the cup's leading goal shooter, was gone at halftime, along with the luckless Colling, as the Force defensive strategies paid dividends.

But the Sting didn't lie down. They wore away at their younger opponents. Old legs gained fresh inspiration, even as the Force got seven goals clear at the start of the final quarter.

With Avellino organising things, and potting the goals, the Sting showed terrific will to get home.

Still, you had to feel for Tapene and Wipiiti, who had been so instrumental in getting the Force to the very brink.