Kaierau WA Karaihi Peina awaits space to unload during her side's narrow 35-33 loss to Mere Te Aroha on Monday.
Kaierau WA Karaihi Peina awaits space to unload during her side's narrow 35-33 loss to Mere Te Aroha on Monday.
Mere Te Aroha revealed it was no team to be messed with after a narrow, but satisfying win over defending Wanganui Premier 1 netball champions Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau on Monday night.
MTA lead all four quarters to finally grind out 35-33 victors in a match coach Deshannon Matthews saidcould have gone either way.
"It was a slow start by both teams, but I had to take my hat off to my girls once they settled into the game," Matthews said.
"We have been definitely been training very hard and while it's only round two to get a win, even a narrow win, over the defending champions was very satisfying. My standout had to be my GK Kalera Kuruyabaki, but in saying that young GD Sylvah Anderson teamed well in defence."
Anderson is still a student at Whanganui High School, but was overseas during the school's netball trials.
"Sylvah missed out on a spot in the school much to our advantage. Meanwhile, Airini Potaka at WD had a really solid game last night putting a lot of pressure on the kaierau feeders, while co-captain Tariana Turia (WA) drove really well and fed our shooters well. She paired really well with centre Lucy Stewart," Matthews said.
New Kaierau coach and part-time Netball Whanganui development officer Walter Edmonds had little to say other than MTA had played well to claim narrow victory.
Last season's runners-up Phillips Electrical WHS A1 dominated Marist A2 as expected stretching out to a 63-22 win.
Coach Lisa Murphy's side went to a 13-6 lead after the first quarter, then increased to 32-10 after the second before beginning the final quarter 48-18.
"My standout was Niamh Flower at GA,' Murphy said.
"Montel Aki was injured in a rep game at the weekend, so I threw in young Year 10 girl Kara Adrole at GS. Niamh stepped up as the senior player and Kara teamed extremely well with her."
The other matches went pretty much as expected with Marist A1 beating Taihape 52-41 and Kaiwhaiki claiming Ruapehu 67-24.
