FLAMES BURN BRIGHTEST
NETBALL THRILLER
KARANA Flames have overcome a five-goal deficit to edge past the Kingston Blues 51-49 in their Round 12 Tasmanian Netball League clash.
In a fairly even first quarter in Friday night’s match, Kingston took a three-goal lead, but Karana quickly closed the gap and the teams went goal for goal until the last minute.
Kingston then scored consecutive goals to hold a 13-11 lead, heading into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Kingston expanded its lead to five goals, with the closing speed of Roz Herbert at wing defence causing headaches for Karana.
A great tussle in the centre between Lucy Bosker and Frances DiCarlo was a highlight of the quarter, with both players unrelenting in their efforts.
An untimely injury to Herbert forced Kingston to shuffle around its defence end but its depth off the bench didn’t unsettle its play.
The game featured excellent match-ups all over the court, good feeds for both goalies and 100 per cent shooting from the goal shooters.
Kingston started the second half well, extending its 27-24 halftime lead.
Excellent defensive pressure allowed the Blues to swoop on basic feeding errors in attack by Karana and they stretched their lead to as much as seven.
Karana was able to score three quick goals, but a longrange penalty shot after the siren extended Kingston’s lead to 40-35 heading into the last quarter.
In a momentum swinging last, Karana came out firing scoring the first three goals, but some excellent intercepts from Kingston keeper Emma Johns helped restore the Blues five-goal lead.
Karana lifted its intensity and scored six unanswered goals to take the lead for the first time since the opening goal.
An intercept by Bosker gave Kingston a chance to regain the lead but the Blues could not convert and Karana ran out to two-goal winners.
Karana coach Alicia Sargent praised her players for reacting well to on-court adjustments and hanging tough to the end.
“Our ability to adapt well to changes made by Kingston and ourselves and stay levelheaded saw a more consistent match this round.
“Our final quarter coming from five goals down, to win by two, took immense teamwork, concentration and belief by the players.
“It is really pleasing to see the players maintain intensity in such a close match and step up the tempo in the last quarter when it really mattered.”
In other matches, CrippsWaratah easily accounted for OHA. AYC-Friends Arrows managed a 57-38 win over Cavaliers and Northern Hawks had a strong 88-50 win over Burnie Tigers.