New Zealand opened their account in the netball tri-series with an emphatic 57-39 win over Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, today.
The Silver Ferns were never seriously threatened after leading 17-9 at the end of the first quarter.
The result was beyond doubt at halftime with the tourists ahead 30-16, affording
coach Ruth Aitken the luxury of making three changes to her personnel during the break.
It did not have the desired result, though, with New Zealand losing some poise during the third quarter, shared 13-13, before reasserting themselves down the stretch.
Aitken had earlier taken the opportunity to blood Maria Tutaia, 18, for her test debut at goal attack.
Tutaia, a graduate of the New Zealand under-21 team who won the world youth title this year, missed her first two attempts at goal but slotted her third not long after that from longer range and quickly settled into her work alongside veteran goal shoot Irene van Dyk.
Tutaia wore the goal attack's bib ahead of Jodi Te Huna while, in a second change to the starting seven who convincingly beat Australia in Auckland last month, Leana de Bruin appeared at goal defence ahead of Anna Scarlett.
Tutaia impressed, her fledgling partnership with van Dyk working well as the world champions distanced themselves from the home side leading up to halftime.
Aitken opted to bench Tutaia for Belinda Colling at the halftime interval, at which stage the Auckland teenager had slotted 11 of 14 shots at goal.
Scarlett, Colling and Anna Rowberry, who replaced Temepara George, were introduced at halftime, but New Zealand failed to kick on in the third quarter, as they continued to cough up a series of turnovers.
Despite the unconvincing nature of New Zealand's performance in the third quarter, Aitken decided to rest her ace shooter, van Dyk, for the last quarter when Te Huna was brought on to share the goalscoring responsibilities with Colling.
Van Dyk had underlined her importance to the team by shooting 29 from 32 attempts, for a conversion rate of 92 per cent.
Jamaica beat Barbados 51-36 in the opening match of the tri-series yesterday. New Zealand play Barbados tomorrow, with the final on Wednesday.
- NZPA
