In-form College rocket up table
College Old Girls have jumped up to fourth spot with a 57-52 win over Manukura Red in the latest round of the club netball competition.
With Tuesday night’s win at the Arena, College leapfrogged Manukura Red and Feilding A1 on the table and having won last week too, College are starting to come into some form.
COG were given a good test by the school-age Manukura team, but were on top for most of the game.
Shooter Manta Maxwell was College’s standout player, scoring most of their goals, she got into space and created options. At the other end Billie-jean Lambert had a good game, shutting down Manukura’s attacks, even when the game was getting physical at the end.
College’s defence forced Manukura into making mistakes and would capitalise, giving them a 30-27 halftime lead.
Manukura rallied in the second half and their shooting clicked, but they couldn’t erase College’s five-point lead.
COG goal defence Kuini Chase worked well with Lambert and wing attack Cat Cornelius did some good circle feeding.
The best for Manukura were centre Seasons Te Uawiri-turahui and shooter Rochelle Fourie, who came into the game more as time went on and she held her space in the circle.
Palmerston North Girls’ High School
copped a 78-26 thrashing by defending champions The students will take some beating this season, as they barely broke a sweat during this big win. The schoolgirls, who
Massey.
sorely missed defender Jessica Pease away with the Aotearoa Maori secondary schools team, as the goals poured in.
Girls’ High struggled at the shooting end, only scoring four measly goals in the first quarter, but at the other end, Massey were fast shifting the ball through court and getting their shooters regular ball.
Massey’s tight defence made sure Girls’ High never had anyone available in space, but the Girls’ High players weren’t driving to the ball and tried some over-ambitious passes.
Girls’ High’s shooting improved when Zara Kimura -Cullen was introduced in the second quarter but they hardly got any ball to their shooters.
The combinations at Massey’s shooting end are slick and goal shoot Sam Murphy drained 52 goals from 61 shots.
Kahurangi Sturmey and Theresa Hunt were a great unit on defence and Steph Collins had another good game on the circle edge at wing attack.
Sia Muliaga toiled away in defence for Girls’ High, then had a stint at the shooting end and Edyn Boyes kept trying right to the end, shifting from shoot to centre in the last quarter.
kept up with the competition leaders by beating 42-30.
The match was reasonably even, except for a strong second quarter from Rahui, where they scored 17 goals to give them the edge.
Behind 23-15 at halftime, bottomplaced Feilding didn’t go away though and stayed within touch in the second half, but Rahui did enough to keep extending their lead. Feilding lost Bardo Tuhaka Ensing with a leg injury.
made work hard for their 62-48 win.
Manukura comfortably won in the end, but were trailing at one stage and the game was even for three quarters.
The first half was tight and even though Manukura were up 32-29 at halftime, Feilding were level in the third quarter, but they couldn’t keep up in the final spell, which Manukura won 16-7.
Manukura welcomed back Central national league player Renee Matoe, but were without Aotearoa Maori secondary school players Antonia Hei Hei and Braxton Te Riini.
Rahui Feilding A1 Feilding A2 Manukura Black