Teams continue their dominance

Press, 22 June 1981, Page 21

Teams continue their dominance

Sacred Heart A and St Nicholas continued their dominance of the senior netball competition on Saturday. The two unbeaten teams meet next Saturday in what will be the highlight of the first round.

Sacred Heart A never allowed Burnside to settle and was markedly superior in all phases of play in scoring its biggest and best win to date. St Nicholas had a very easy game against Cashmere but for once kept the pressure on and won decisively. Teachers' College faced a revitalised South Brighton and had to work harder for its win than the scores would. indicate. Hagley came from two goals down at half-time to dominate the second half and score an upset win over Riccarton. and Technical's combination worked smoothly for its first win at the expense of Sacred Heart B. Points after eight rounds: Sacred Heart A and St Nicholas 16. Burnside and Riccarton 10. Hagley and Teachers' College 9. Sacred Heart B 4. Cashmere, South. Brighton and Technical 2. St Nicholas 45, Cashmere 21

With Ann Davidson expected to be fit for next week. St Nicholas moved Angela Pickering back to goal attack and used a temporary replacement. Judy Pahi. as goal shooter. In her more familiar role. Pickering's shooting improved and St Nicholas effortlessly took a comfortable lead.

Cashmere, playing a man to man game, managed to deflect a few casual passes, but it was seldom able to finish off these chances, as far too frequently these scoring opportunities were lost through poor shooting by Lynlcy Neutze. The St Nicholas defensive players. Barbara Kreft and Sandra Samson; marked aggressively and with Avril Amyes always in position for the flick pass.’ St Nicholas's attacks had plenty of ball to lead 22-9 at half-time. Cashmere offered only token resistance to the strong and controlled play of St Nicholas, allowing it to score 10 in quick succession. while Cashmere struggled to net two. St Nicholas never eased up and thoroughly deserved its easy victory. Umpires: Mesdames A. Orangi and J. Woodham. Teachers’ College 28, South Brighton 21

Promoted from South Brighton B for her one and only game for the senior side. Cheryl Beckham, although obviously nervous, evaded the tall College goalkeeper, Robin Davenport, with ease, and it was only the lack of confidence for the quick pass to her that cost South Brighton certain goals. ' It z was refreshing to see a goalshooter who could either dodge or hold her partner to give space for the pass to the side, instead of standing like a statue waiting for the high lob.

Teachers’ College was taken back by ’the unexpected aggression arid vitality of their lowly South Brighton side and it was Jane Eddington at goal defence, alert to' the' 'careless pass or loose ball who used her drive and initiative to counter and keep College on attack.

Raylene Maxwell, the goalkeeper for South Brighton, barely topped the shoulder of her opponent but nevertheless guarded her so well and hustled her into errors that gave Maxwell frequent interceptions which were fed to the waiting wing defence. Liz Moseley moved accurately to the attacks only to be lost by the hesitant passing of Dcanne Stringer at centre for South Brighton. With the College goal-shooter unable to get the passes, the goal-attack. Linda Howard, took over the shooting and her accuracy gave College their six goal lea’d at half-time. Maxwell and Moseley, playing their best game of the season, continued to force the College attacks into error and South Brighton, gaining confidence in Beckham, came within three goals, of College. But Howard again put her team on attack and her accurate shooting kept it in the lead. In by far the most exciting and best display of the day College was a little flattered by the margin of its win. Umpires: Mesdames P. Tainui and S. Morton. Hagley 27, Riccarton 24 Riccarton was always a coritfortable two or three goals ahead in the first half, its defence, Jan Thompson and Nicki Robinson, keeping the Hagley attacks subdued. Hagley had to work hard for every scoring opportunity and was frequently forced into error.

In contrast Richardson, had little difficulty in evading its opponents to send the ball cleanly through the court for Dianna Nelis to net. Although the scores remained close. Riccarton’s combination looked the more confident. Chris Pietzner intercepted Riccarton's first throw off in the second half, then a penalty against Riccarton's goal attack and Hagley had made up its two-goal deficit. With the tireless Pietzner coordinating the Haglej’ game, her team slowly took command.

Riccarton. trying desperately to get back in the game, brought its wing defence and goal defence through the court to the opposition goal transverse line, using them to feed into the attacks, but leaving the Hagley attack -wide open, if an interception was made, and naturally this happened only too often. Hagley was fortunate to have persuaded Pietzner to play the remainder of the season and with the return of Jan Henderson next week this will make Hagley the team most likely to challenge the leaders.

Umpires: Mesdames F. Beck ham and L. Miles.

Technical 36. Saered Heart B 28 Sacred Heart B, unsettled by having to replace its wing -defence just before going onto the court, gave Technical the chance for the lead. After seven weeks of defeats. Technical seized the chance and. once in front, kept the pressure on for the full 40 minutes. It was only the determined leadership of Margaret Taylor, the goal keeper for Sacred Heart, that kept it in the game.

As always. Sacred Heart placed too much reliance on goal shooter. Colleen Taurima. who was far too well covered by Technical's Gav Johns.

Debbie Cummings, at goal attack for Sacred Heart, lost repeated passes to Taurima and was forced to shoot. She proved her ability with some magnificent long shots, but then fell back into the pattern of feeding into Taurima. Technical, able to use either of their shooters, led by six at half-time. Sacred Hearts combination became more disorientated as the second half progressed, and with Jody Roberts and Adele Hall shooting confidently, Technical increased its lead.

The Technical defence of Johns and Phillipa Camp had little difficulty in containing the Sacred Heart attacks and Technical. looking more confident than it had for weeks, forged ahead for its first win.

Umpires: Mesdames J. Allison and A. Elder. Sacred Heart A 48, Burnside 30

Sacred Heart changed its combination by moving Suzanne Camp from wing defence to centre, and Robin Standbridge from the B team went to wing defence. Bridget Hishon was brought out to goal attack and Dianna Sullivan went back to goal shooter. These changes worked well and the whole team settled quickly into the new combination. Burnside, who was expected to give the leaders a hard game, never got its mid-court combination into gear and failed to produce the form of which it is capable. Burnside's goal shooter, Jan Pickering, who has a very’ accurate shot, appeared to expect her team mates to literally place the ball in her hands, and never moved to reach for the pass or chase a loose ball. Adrianne Prattley. weakened by a bout of the flu. tried to rally and settle her team. Sandra Heffernan, goal defence for Sacred Heart, kept pace with Prattley. giving her little room to manoeuvre, and Burnside’s game rapidly went to pieces. Umpires: Mesdames J. Walsh arid J. Swift.