Steel back to their lethal best
You cannot keep the two-time defending champions Southern Steel down for long.
Hurting after Sunday’s 66-64 upset loss to the Stars in their national netball premiership season opener, the Steel rebounded with a polished showing, thrashing the Mainland Tactix 66-46 in Christchurch last night.
In a rematch of last year’s thrilling elimination final, the Steel pulled away early in the third quarter, scoring eight unanswered goals to build a 45-31 advantage, which the Tactix were never coming back from.
It was the perfect way to celebrate centre Shannon Saunders’, nee Francois, milestone match for the Steel. Former Fern Saunders was playing her 100th game for the side, having debuted in the former trans-Tasman league in 2012.
Star South African import Lenize Potgieter benefited from
(Lenize Potgieter: 39/42, Te Paea Selby-Rickit: 11/18, Georgia Heffernan: 8/12, Jen O’Connell: 8/9) Tactix 46 (Ellie Bird: 29/33, Kate Beveridge: 13/17, Brooke Leaver: 4/7 ) Quarter scores: 1Q:16-15, HT: 35-28, 3Q: 52-36.
accurate ball from Saunders and Silver Ferns wing attack Gina Crampton, landing 39 goals from 42 attempts before she was given a breather early in the final term.
Stung by their first-up loss, the Steel came out meaning business.
However, both sides struggled with their ball retention in the first 15 minutes with each committing eight turnovers as strong defensive pressure forced them into careless mistakes.
Youngster Taneisha Fifita was injected into the Steel defensive end midway through the second quarter with coach Reinga Bloxham unhappy with the freedom Bird was getting under the hoop.
Fifita had a fine performance and on this evidence could be knocking on the door for a
Steel 66
starting spot. She looks a player of much promise.
Te Paea Selby-Rickit, who was dropped for the Silver Ferns’ Northern Quad Series in January, was also yanked off the court late in the first half for Georgia Heffernan after battling to make an impact.
Selby-Rickit had landed seven from 11, but her combination with Potgieter wasn’t quite flowing as smoothly as the Steel would have wanted.
Those changes gave the Steel the spark they needed, ending the first half with a flourish to go into halftime with a 35-28 buffer.
The second and third quarters were all the Steel, who outscored the Tactix 36-21 to seize control of the match.