Bull Sharks push leaders but miss out
Diamonds can still shine
IT was a case of deja vu and heartbreak for Bond University Bull Sharks.
Three quarters of exceptional Sapphire Series netball against the competition leading Brisbane North Cougars were undone by a run of seven unanswered goals in the final quarter, going down 59-49.
Still searching for their breakthrough win, the young Bull Sharks opened strongly to lead 14-13 in the first quarter.
A three-goal mini-run then stretched the lead to five briefly before the Cougars rallied late to narrow the gap to one at the main break.
The Cougars opened the third with a run of their own to open up a two-goal lead, their biggest of the match so far until the Bull Sharks’ trademark defensive pressure saw them level the scores at 32 midway through the quarter.
The teams continued to trade goals in the final quarter, with Bond’s Kasey Collins SAPPHIRE SERIES ROUND 4
Cougars Jets Wildcats Tigers Thunder Bull Sharks N’th Rays
P W D L % BP Pts 4 3 1 0 127.1 23 58 4 3 0 1 120.2 20 50 3 2 1 0 129.1 19 44 4 2 0 2 100.0 16 36 3 1 0 2 96.8 11 21 3 0 0 3 81.6 7 7 3 0 0 3 48.9 0 0
making an impact in the shooting circle but the ladder leaders showed their class and put together seven straight goals to run out 10 goal winners.
The Bull Sharks Ruby side also went down, 48-43.
The Bull Sharks will now have to wait a fortnight for their next match after the Northern Rays’ licence was temporarily suspended due to financial issues and they dropped out of the league.
Bond were scheduled to play the Rays this weekend but will instead have a bye.
– ELIZA REILLY
COACH Lisa Alexander believes Australia’s future remains bright despite their gutwrenching defeat to New Zealand in the Netball World Cup final.
The Diamonds surrendered their iron grip on the trophy for the first time since 2003 after going down 52-51 in an absorbing decider in Liverpool, England, on Sunday.
Despite the huge disappointment of defeat, Alexander believes her squad – the youngest of the four teams that reached the semi-finals – will have learned a huge deal.
“The players are shattered,” Alexander said.
“They are young women who wanted to show the netball world, especially in Australia, that they are the real deal. So they are hurting now.”
The defeat to the Silver Ferns was the first Alexander’s side had tasted in the 10-day event but significantly it follows the shock loss to England in the Commonwealth Games decider last year.