Brave Maidstone go down
A brave Upper Hutt Maidstone United found their vaunted PIC opposition — and a first Regional Super League netball final — too much to handle on Sunday afternoon.
The locals were undone 81-55 by a strong PIC, the form team in Wellington club play coached by Frances Solia and which included Central Pulse players Ameliaranne Wells and Te Amo Amaru-Tibble in their line-up.
Things started well enough for a UH Maidstone which had played their way into a first regional league final with a convincing semi-final win over fellow Hutt Valley heavy hitters, Naenae Collegians White.
Playing at ‘‘home’’ at the revamped Walter Nash Centre, Maidstone had the crowd numbers and consequent vocal superiority and were good enough to go goal for goal for most of the first quarter and be in touch at halftime before a difficult final 30 minutes.
UH Maidstone coach Jodie Robertson was up-tempo about the effort of her players.
‘‘I don’t think the scoreline reflected the game, really,’’ she said.
‘‘Throughout the whole game we worked really hard. I wasn’t disappointed because we kept fighting and we kept competing.
‘‘PIC are an excellent side with a top coach and some really outstanding players,’’ she said.
UH Maidstone United came into the regional final after a convincing win over Petone RL in Hutt Valley premier one the morning before.
Playing in the concurrent competitions made for a heavy workload but one Robertson’s well-performed side readily accepted.
‘‘We always focus on our own [Hutt Valley] competition but for us, making the regional final was also about us making some history as a club,’’ she said.
Louise Wharakura and Aimee Francois, in goal defence and goal attack respectively, were two experienced players who had strong games for the defending Hutt Valley champion side, Robertson said.
The coach also had praise for Taylor Green, Alicia Clegg and Maddison Gillies, a trio of teenage players who played on Sunday after representing the Hutt Valley in the week-long national under19 competition.
In premier one on Saturday UH Maidstone play an unbeaten Naenae Blue [9am, Walter Nash Centre].