Massey grabs national netball title
Massey University has won the national tertiary netball championships for the first time.
Massey, who also won the Manawatu¯ club competition, beat University of Waikato 31-30 in a tight final at Auckland last weekend.
It is the third year of the tournament for university teams.
In the final, the scores were level 7-all after the first quarter, but Massey edged into a 14-13 lead at halftime.
Waikato then took the lead in the third quarter to be up 22-20 after the third spell and were looking in control.
But Massey’s strong defence grabbed a crucial turnover in the fourth quarter and they levelled the scores. They then stole another turnover with a minute to go and went in front by a goal.
Massey then had the centre pass with 30 seconds left and the defensive end were able to maintain possession and run out the clock to hang on to win.
Massey’s coach John Atkins said the the whole squad contributed to the tournament win and they deserved their success.
‘‘We rotated our team over the two days of the tournament, using all 12 players, which assisted in maintaining fresh legs when we needed them in the big games at the end.’’
Massey also had a close win in the semifinal, beating University of Auckland 33-32.
Team captain, veterinary science student and midcourter Steph Collins was named in the tournament team, as was defender Kahurangi Sturmey, who studies sport and exercise.
Waikato had four players in the tournament team.
‘‘Other teams may have had champion players, but Massey showed it had a champion team,’’ Atkins said.
That team was made up of players from Palmerston North and one from the Wellington campus.
Massey finished fifth at the recent Central Zone super club tournament in Wellington and Manukura finished third.
Manukura’s Rochelle Fourie was named shooter of the tournament, which is for the top clubs in the central region.