Top senior teams strengthen lead

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 24

Top senior teams strengthen lead

Sacred Heart A and Burnside consolidated their position as joint leaders in the senior netbail competition on Saturday with big wins. ■ :. - , • ■ Two other leading sides, St Nicholas and Biccarton, gained predictable wins against Teachers’ College and Casnmere, respectively. The closest and by far the most entertaining netball was seen in the nagley-Technicai game. Hagley inflicted a narrow deieat on Technical in a game that was tense, full of enterprising moves and counter moves. It was easily tne highlight of an otherwise dull round. Riccarton 30, Cashmere 21 Cashmere opened on attack, racing away to a 6-0 lead with some fine goals from Linda Shepherd and Lynley Neutze. Riccarton was hesitant and could not find its goal shooter, Diana Nellis, who was being well covered by the Cashmere defence. Nellis, playing shooter instead of in the more mobile position of goal attack, took some time to adjust. Cashmere failed to capitalise on its early advantage and Riccarton took the initiative to come back strongly into the game. It caught up and the teams were scoring goal for goal when a lapse In mid-court by Cashmere gave Riccarton the chance to break the centre pass -and go into the lead.

Cashmere was still in the game In the second half, but some well judged feeding passes to Bridget Jllshon and Nellis who were now confidently finding each other, Tesulted in the lead passing to

Riccarton. It kept the pressure on, building on its lead, increasing it to nine, when the game ended. Sacred Heart A 54. Burnside B 16

Burnside B could not match Sacred Heart A, which was superior in all facets. It soon amassed a healthy lead and the coach, Brenda Rowberry, more than adequately replaced the goal-keeper, Jennifer Redman. Frequently Rowberry came out of the circle to take a spectacular interception in the defence third.

The wing attack, Margaret Smith, led the attack to the head of the circle to give possession to Wendy Heta and Diana Sullivan who shot- accurately. Bumside’s mainstay on attack was again Cecilia Bourke but her lob to the shooter, Julie Glenn, showed poor judgment. Rowberry delighted in the plethora of ball she got from this type of feed. The New Zealand player, Leigh Mills, -basically a defence player, is not seen at her best in club games where she shows her versatility by playing centre. Sacred Heart, leading 26-4 at half-time, went on to make it look more like, a cricket score by surpassing the half-century. Burnside A 37, Sacred Heart B 17 Games between the A team of one club and the B team of another are usually one-sided. So it proved in this game. From the outset, the game belonged to Burnside; it led, 20-7, at half-time.

Sacred Heart began strongly, with Jean Profit and Colleen Tourimu shooting well to keep pace with Burnside’s scoring rate Sally Mene, playing her second game for the Sacred Heart team, added strength and stability to the defence. She ably supported the keeper, Ann O Connor, to contain Jan Pickering, whilst the wing defence, Phillippa Camp, tracked Adrienne Prattley to delay her entry into the goal circle.

But Sacred Heart could -not keep the pressure going . and Bumside was on top again in the latter stages.-

Hagley A 25, Technical A 21 Technical, looking sharp, contested every pass, making its most determined and aggressive beginning this season. Goals came one-for-one against Hagley until a well-judged interception by Hagley’s Jan Henderson broke the centre pass to allow Hagley an extra scoring opportunity. Technical had the greater possession throughout the first half and could have been ahead. Rebounds from the occasional missed shots inevitably went' to Hagley. Its circle defences aggressively fought for the ball and were instrumental in giving Hagley its one-goal lead, which It held until a skilfully executed shot from Technical’s Jody Roberts equalised. There was little between the two teams. Hagley brought the ball through the court with greater speed than Technical, but still had difficulty penetrating its circle.

Eva Walter, the keeper, was particularly effective in containing Mary-Ann Selby, The Technical forwards’ shooting average dropped away and any loose passes were snapped up by Henderson and Diane Petrie. ••

St Nicholas 41, Teachers' College 13

A more even game had been anticipated now that College’s forward line has been stabilised. The goal attacks, Angela Pickering and Ann Davidson, have a good understanding in the goal circle and the usually effective defences, Jane Eddington and Brenda Jones, could do tittle.

Four of the St Nicholas team had had hard representative games last week and this seemed to have been of benefit to them. College, after a week off, seemed to lack cohesion and usually chose the wrong type of uass.

St Nicholas, on the other hand, had better ball control and played with precision. The ball was brought through the court with such speed that College was left standing. ■ > Teachers’ College seemed to lack confidence and St Nicholas, playing machine-like netball, went on to win by a large margin. .