Central Pulse count the cost of win in injured players
The Central Pulse withstood a Southern Steel onslaught to prevail 54-46 in their ANZ Premiership netball match in Wellington on Sunday — but star midcourter Maddy Gordon was a casualty in the victory.
Silver Ferns midcourter Gordon inspired the home side’s thirdquarter blitz as the Wellington side overcame a two-goal halftime deficit to wrest back the advantage. In the third quarter, the Pulse outscored the Steel by nine goals, thanks to a strong defensive effort.
The Wellington team were romping to a one-sided victory until Gordon landed on another player’s foot early in the final quarter.
The Silver Fern was carried off court with an ankle injury and did not return.
Pulse captain Kelly Jackson (nee Jury) also saw strike shooter Amelia Walmsley go down in the final seconds of the game.
She told Skysport she was fairly confident there was no serious damage to either of her team-mates.
With Pulse frontline shooter Tiana Metuarau sidelined with a foot injury for several more rounds, coach Anna Andrews-tasola will also be hoping for their rapid return.
“I think Amelia has got cramp over there. Maddy, I think, just tweaked an ankle,” Jackson told Skysport.
“Defensively, we just needed to get more ball, which started happening in the second half.
“We were packing back [at the beginning], so attacking forward and getting the momentum [did] the trick.”
The inclusion of Steel vicecaptain Shannon Saunders made a huge difference to the southern side, Jackson said — but with a heavily strapped knee the former Silver Fern was unable to last the full match.
Steel captain Kate Heffernan credited her shooters, Georgia Heffernan and Grace Namana, for giving the home side a scare.
“It’s super-frustrating; I do think that we did it to ourselves,” Kate Heffernan said.
“You can see it coming together so there is definitely belief growing.”
Pulse shooters Walmsley and Khiarna Williams were a force for the Steel defenders.
Williams was again superb, coming into the game in the second quarter after Kiana Pelasio went to the bench.
Walmsley was unhappy with the attention she was receiving from Steel keep Taneisha Fifita who was warned for a challenge that flung the Pulse shooter flat on her back.
Kate Heffernan also received a warning from the umpire for a challenge on Whitney Souness.