Netball: Wellington play hearts out for Leilani

By Suzanne McFadden

It will be remembered as one of the most heart-wrenching games played at a national netball championship.

Fifteen minutes after hearing that their team-mate, former Silver Fern Leilani Read, had died of a brain haemorrhage, Wellington had to walk out on court against Manukau.

Numbed by the news they had been warned to expect, the Wellington players pulled together and produced an effort that - coach Lois Muir said - Read would have been proud of.

Wellington went down fighting 52-58 to the Manukau side, who hugged and comforted their opponents after the final whistle.

Muir said there were moments in the game when it was obvious her players were struggling with their emotions.

"But they're a strong group of young kids. It was especially hard for our captain Amanda [Dunlop] who was a very close cousin of Lei's," she said.

"But they played their hearts out for her, and they really fought back in the end."

After trailing by six going into the last quarter, Wellington rallied to get within one goal with four minutes left on the clock.

They suffered on-court troubles when defender Pelesa Semu sprained an ankle.

Muir had to move towering teenage shooter Jodi Te Huna to goal keep, where she successfully countered Manukau's goal attack Karen Wilson.

Defending champions Otago lost their way in a titanic battle with home side Manawatu last night, going down 55-57.

Otago, who have been hit hard by the absence of the Silver Ferns, led by five at every quarter break, with young goal attack Angelina Yates the stand-out contributor.

But the gutsy Manawatu team, buoyed by supporters who did press-ups every time they scored a goal, grabbed their chance in the final spell as Otago stuttered.

Waikato recovered from a sluggish start to trounce North Harbour 74-46.

The pre-tournament favourites were five goals down after the first quarter, but the introduction of Leigh Price at goal keep for Waikato changed their fortunes.

North Harbour, with a majority of teenagers in their line-up, could not break the rhythm of Waikato's shooters, Renee Jacobsen, Karen Gaddes and former Harbour star Tania Nicholson.

Auckland lost a neck-and-neck tussle with Southland 48-50 after leading by two at halftime.

Young shooter Mere Clendon made a solid effort in her first appearance at the tournament, but it was tough going against Southland's dogged defence partnership of Jo Tapper and Dana Bond.