Netball: Heartbreaking loss for WHS

The WHS A1 netball team (from back left) Sammy Murphy, Rose Wainhouse, Laura O'Keeffe, Niamh Flower, Ruhia Tamati, Diana Taha Williams-Cribb, Ashleigh Candish, Brodie Flower, Leila Blackburn, Kelera Kuruyabaki and (front) Kayla Spencer and Renee Butler had their television debut on Monday night. Photo/Supplied

A lack of court time proved costly for the Wanganui High School A1's television debut in the College Netball competition on Monday night.

The Phillips Electrical WHS side went down 33-22 to a more cohesive St Mary's Wellington at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua preventing the girls moving through to the second round in the knockout tournament.

Started in 2011 after the success of the College Rugby programme on Sky TV, College Netball matches are played as the curtain raisers to ANZ Championship games, with Monday's match-up with St Mary's the opening act before Central Pulse v Adelaide Thunderbirds at the sold-out Te Rauparaha Arena.

WHS came sixth at the Lower North Island secondary schools tournament last year to qualify for the competition, with their game being one of the 12 shown on TV out of the 18 being played.

Coach Lisa Murphy said while the televised appearance on Monday night was a "great experience", a lack of drive through mid court proved crucial.

"We only had three training sessions in the lead-up to Monday's game, so the girls hadn't had a lot of court time together. Some of the girls had rowing commitments and another with touch (rugby) and that limited our training. We lacked drive through the mid court and that was the telling factor," Murphy said yesterday.

"Kelera (Kuruyabaki) had some lovely intercepts and rebounds at goal keep, while Sammy (Murphy) had a great game at goal shoot. Ninety per cent or more went in.

"Renee Butler (GA) worked well with Sammy at that net, it was just the mid court that didn't go that well."

Murphy said that even though the match was televised did not phase the girls.

"Once they were on court all that went out the window. The cameras didn't worry them. Unfortunately, the College Netball competition is a straight knockout tournament, so that's our lot this year."

"We will have a little bit of a break now and regroup to prepare for the Wanganui competition to begin again in May," Murphy said.

WHS went through last season unbeaten to take the Wanganui title.

"The main aim is to repeat that performance and defend the title. But the girls thoroughly enjoyed Monday's experience and were pleased to see a busload of about 50 supporters come down for the match.

'We will also be aiming to finish in the top six of the secondary school competition again and win a spot in next year's College Netball tournament.

"We stayed on after our match on Monday to watch the Pulse play the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the girls were disappointed Pulse lost by just one point," Murphy said.

A last gasp winning shot sealed a 45-44 win has kept defending champions Adelaide Thunderbirds' unbeaten streak alive in the ANZ championship.