Selby-rickit adds firepower to boost Rahui
Rahui were able to call on a star recruit in Te Huinga Reo Selbyrickit for the latest round of club netball.
The premier club competition resumed at the Arena on Tuesday night after a two-week break and Rahui, who beat Manukura Red 51-47, welcomed back Southern Steel defender Selby-rickit to make a rare club appearance now the national Premiership has finished.
Selby-rickit made a massive difference at the defensive end for Rahui, grabbing rebounds, shutting down attack and was always quick to fire the ball up the court.
The lead changed hands a few times in the first half and despite a Manukura rally late in the second quarter, Rahui were up 26-24 at halftime.
Manukura shooters Diaz Tepania-strickland and Rochelle Fourie made a good start against the robust defence from Selbyrickit and Maraea Murray.
Manukura stayed in the hunt with high passes to Fourie, who was able to leap above the rest of most of the time.
Murray changed ends to goal shoot and steadied their attack as Rahui started to get on top and shot out to a six-goal lead.
Manukura would too often try to throw a long bomb into Fourie and it stopped working as the game went on, and a lot of their attacking passes were intercepted.
At one point in the final few minutes Manukura closed the gap to two points, but Rahui stayed calm and hung on to win.
Standouts in midcourt for Manukura were Ariana Tepania and Seasons Turahui-te Uawiri and they did a good job feeding the circle considering the duress their shooters were under.
Tahlia Runga had a great game in defence.
Hinekura Winiata was solid at goal attack for Rahui.
Palmerston North Girls’ High School College Old Girls
beat 54-44, in a game where both teams looked exactly like they’d just had two weeks off. There was a lot of dropped ball,
passes going to no-one and intercepted passes as both teams made a rusty start to the game.
After some wobbly early moments when they struggled to get the ball to their shooters, Girls’ High improved and looked like leaving College for dead.
Girls’ High goal keep Jessica Pease had a great game disrupting College and pinched a few intercepts, while Maya Jones looked good in midcourt.
College took too long to find their rhythm, down by seven after the first quarter and were down 33-19 at halftime.
Even though they scored more goals in the second half they left themselves too much work to do.
Mere Butters stood out for College at wing attack, wing defence Brooklyn Walker had a good game and defender Billie-jean Lambert toiled away.
Girls’ High cleared their bench in the last quarter once the score had blown out and goal attack Zara Kimura-cullen impressed coming off the bench in the second half.
nearly scored more goals in one quarter than did in an entire game. That’s enough to sum up Massey’s 75-24 win, where the students scored 20 goals in the first
Massey A2 Feilding
spell, something Feilding struggled to do until midway through the fourth.
Massey led 34-14 at halftime and poured in another 41 goals in the second spell to Feilding’s 10.
Massey shooter Sam Murphy was one away from a perfect night, with 32 from 33. maintained
Manukura Black Feilding A1
top spot by beating 60-42.
The first half was even, with Manukura up 28-22 at halftime, but Manukura pulled away in the second half, scoring 16 goals in each stanza.
Prolific Manukura shooter Emily Autagavaia had another busy night, scoring 50 from 59.
Tuesday’s results leaves COG, Rahui and Manukura Red all jostling for fourth to sixth spot, with Manukura Red ahead on points differential of just one point.
Top two sides Manukura Black and Massey are already assured of a place in the place in the final.