Kaierau rolled in netball nailbiter

TOP FOUR: WHS wing attack Ruhia Tamati and her team mates are third seeds for the semi-finals after being beaten by Kaiwhaiki and will face giant killers WA Sports on July 25. PHOTO/Bevan Conley

The pressure of being the unbeaten table topper finally told on Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau after a focused Wanganui Athletics Sports claimed the Maroon Machine in a one point thriller on Monday night.
Until the final round robin match of the Premier 1 netball championship on Monday, Kaierau was not only unbeaten but looking far superior to their rivals. The Marama Cameron-coached side was red hot favourite to defend the title it won last year.
Never far off the pace, but trailing at every quarter (14-10, 25-23, 35-30), the self-effacing WA Sports team sponsored by Wanganui Athletic Football toppled Kaierau 44-43 in a spectacle worthy of a grand final encounter.
Cameron conceded it was an "all round aweful game for us".
"I guess if we were going to be beaten this was perhaps the best time, but we certainly will be using this loss as fuel and taking the positives out of the game in the lead up to the semi-finals," Cameron said.
Watching from the sidelines, Netball Wanganui chief executive Parekura Muraahi said WA Sports were unpresumptuous and went about their business playing the game at their own pace, in their own style.
"The defensive combination of goal keep Courtney Haywood (3 rebounds, 2 intercepts), Cheyann McDougall (1 tip, 6 intercepts, 4 rebounds) together with wing defence Terri Kingi (2 intercepts) was effective. On attack, Lucy Stewart played a solid game at centre with captain Hayley Addenbrooke unavailable due to illness. Stewart, a traditional wing defence made a brief appearance at centre last week offering another dimension and depth to the WA Sports attacking mid-court," Muraahi said yesterday.
"The shooting combination of goal attack Julie Rowan (who has led the team in the absence of holidaying coach Trish Anstis) and niece Stevie Rowan had the Kaierau defence working hard and they were well served by wing attack Diana Taha Williams-Cribb who picked up two intercepts on defence as well. All in all it was a great effort from a team that had nothing to lose and showed great self-belief."
In the other games, Kaiwhaiki did all they could to keep their top four chances alive with a win against Phillips Electrical WHS A1. They led at every break 16-10, 23-20 and 34-30 to finish with a win 43-38. Their chances rested on the outcome of the Mere Te Aroha v New World Taihape game in which the former won comfortably 38-50 to take the fourth spot on the table. In the final match, Mint Café Marist dispatched Cullinane 63-36.
Looking ahead to semi-finals on July 25 some great encounters are expected, but semi-finals are another level. Everything resets and while there maybe favourites, nothing can be taken for granted.
The first semi-final will see top seeds Kaierau play fourth seed Mere Te Aroha and Kaierau's loss will surely provide them with a valuable learning tool. They, no doubt, will come back stronger and more determined. For Mere Te Aroha, the upcoming break will be very welcomed with captain Deshannon Matthews expected to return in time from injury.
"From my observations, Matthews provides great leadership throughout the court for Mere Te Aroha and the defensive prowess of former Kaierau defender Kelera Kuruyabaki will definitely be something to watch," Muraahi said.
In the other top four semi-final, second seed WA Sports will take on third seed WHS A1.
"I expect this to be the match-up of the night. It will be interesting to see what consideration returning WA Sports coach Trish Anstis does with her starting combination given the success of her team over the past two weeks."
In the plate semi-finals, Marist A1 will play Cullinane and Kaiwhaiki will play Taihape.