Fierce Kingston leaves Cripps blue

THE Kingston Blues have prevailed in a back-and-forth battle in the Tasmanian Netball League, finishing strong to beat Cripps Waratah 50-46.

Both teams started frantically in Saturday night’s Round 14 match, but it was Kingston that steadied first to edge out to five-goal lead.

Cripps, however, remained patient in attack and applied strong defensive pressure to narrow its deficit to 13-11 at quarter time.

An up-and-down second quarter, which featured great shooting by Kingston’s Gemma Polley, ended with the Blues taking a 26-25 lead into halftime.

Kingston brought Chelsea Coleman into goals replacing Polley and instantly her movement created space in the Kingston goal circle. An inspiring intercept by in-form wing defence Roz Herbert helped Kingston go up by six with five minutes to go in the third.

Once again, though, Cripps battled hard defensively and off the back of some great intercepts by Olivia French the side scored seven unanswered goals to lead 36-35 at three-quarter time and set up a stellar last quarter.

An Elise Barwick intercept helped to push the Cripps lead to four near the start of the final term.

Kingston battled back and retook the lead after Polley, who had returned to the court at shooter, made a strong offensive rebound.

The physicality of the game started to take its toll and the Blues’ team effort proved stronger in the end.

Kingston coach Erin Baker was stoked with the win.

“Cripps pushed us every step of the way,” she said.

“We spoke at each break about the great work we were doing and then the moments our concentration was dropping off and we were undoing our good work. So it was great to see us consolidate when it mattered.”

Cripps coach Rosalie Navickas was pleased with her team’s ability to lift their work rate in the momentum swinging match.

“Both teams took the court ... knowing that it is the business end of the season and the importance of a win,” she said.

In other matches, the Northern Hawks beat the Karana Flames 71-60 and AYC-Friends Arrows easily accounted for OHA.