KIWIS GIVE MIXED DIAMONDS A ROUGH TIME
NEW ZEALAND 55 AUSTRALIA 44
AUSTRALIAN coach Lisa Alexander defended her heavy player rotation in their shock 55-44 hammering from New Zealand in the third Constellation Cup Test yesterday.
The Silver Ferns pounced on an error-riddled performance from the Diamonds in Hamilton and lifted their own standards several notches as Noeline Taurua claimed her first major scalp as coach.
An Australian win would have been their 10th on the trot over New Zealand, matching their record streak set 20 years ago.
Instead, the world champions steadily disintegrated, losing all four quarters in a Test for the first time in eight years, including a 14-8 capitulation in the final stanza.
The lopsided result means Australia can’t lock away the Constellation Cup yet either. A 14-point win for New Zealand in the final Test in Wellington on Thursday would see the silverware cross the Tasman for the first time in six years.
Alexander is sure to be more conservative with her selections after she opened this Test with second-choice shooters Caitlin Thwaites and Gretel Tippett, along with Jamie-Lee Price on debut at wing defence.
While Taurua fielded the same seven for the whole Test – as she did in last week’s 56-47 loss in Townsville – Alexander rung multiple changes at every break. Goalkeeper Courtney Bruce was the only Diamond to play the entire match.
Captain and goal shooter Caitlin Bassett played the two middle quarters but was off her game and was replaced for the final stanza by Tippett, who is normally a goal attack.
Tippett was more impressive than the two veteran goal shooters, notching 16 goals from 17 shots.
Alexander said her team “made a meal” of their basic attacking plays to ultimately cost them victory.