Seniors show close scoring

Press, 26 April 1983, Page 32

Seniors show close scoring

By

KAY FORRESTER

Close scoring marked the third round of the Canterbury Sports Depot senior netball competition played on Saturday. Technical and St Nicholas suffered their first defeats of the 1983 season, while Sacred Heart and Burnside remain the only two unbeaten teams. Sacred Heart B and Technical’'fought out a close match, in which the score seesawed back and forward. Sacred Heart gained the advantage at the right time to give Technical its first defeat since returning to senior .grade. Burnside triumphed over St Nicholas by three goals in another even game. The goal keep, Jane Dore, was named Canterbury Sports Depot player of the day. South Brighton and Hagley, both in search of their first points for the season, turned on some good netball. Hagley finally notched up a handy lead to take the two points for a win. Riccarton, also in search of its first win, played determinedly to beat Teachers’ College B by seven goals. In a game played on Anzac Day because of the South Australian netball team’s visit, Sacred Heart A proved too strong for the Teachers’ College A side. Sacred Heart B 21 v Technical 20 Technical’s goal shooting let it down to allow Sacred Heart B to snatch the game by a single goal in the last minute of play. The Technical team had the better of the court play for most of the match and took an early lead which it held for the first half. Suzanne Camp, at wing defence and Gay Johns, at goal keep, worked hard to give their team possession. Sacred Heart drew level immediately after the interval and the play swung up and down the court, with Technical scoring and the Sacred Heart team levelling the score a number of times.

At centre for Sacred Heart, Ann Bowen played a sensible game for her team and fed/the goal shooters well. With the scores at 19-19, all, a few minutes from full-time, both teams began missing crucial goals. The ball seesawed from one goal circle to the other with neither side able to make their goals count. Joyce Reuben and Eliza Quinn, who had shot capably in the first half, missed three consecutive goals, and Sacred Heart took the lead for the first time in the half.

Technical fought back to draw level at 20 gaols all, but there was enough time left for the Sacred Heart shooters to make sure of the match with a final goal.

The umpires were Alison Elder and Jan McClung. Bumside 37 V St Nicholas 33 With both teams unbeaten this game promised to be a close one — and it was. Evenly matched in court play the advantage went to Burnside because of the accuracy of its young goal shoot, Jan Pickering. Pickering rarely missed a shot during the match. Her team favoured the long, high pass into the circle to the goal shoot. Occasionally, however, the pass was wild and even the tall Pickering could not retrieve it.

St Nicholas’s Ann Davidson matched Pickering for goals in the early stages of the game but her shooting lost its consistency in the second half. Burnside went into the interval with a four goal lead. The team was well-led by Wai Taumaunu, at goal defence, who took several passes in

many of the swift down-the-court moves. St Nicholas started quickly in the second half and brought the score up to only one goal’s .difference. Burnside settled its game to stretch the deficit to seven gaols. For St Nicholas the goal defence, Averill Amyes, kept the pressure on the Burnside shooters, in spite of an ankle injury. Amyes made several well-timed interceptions. The rest of the team marked their opponents closely with tight defence throughout the court. St Nicholas again closed the scoring to within one goal towards the end of the half, but Pickering netted two quick shots to give Burnside a three goal win. Nicky Lay and Dianne Brown had sound games in the mid-court for the Burnside team. The umpires were Patsy Tainui and June Woodham. Hagley 30 v South Brighton 20 South Brighton took ,the court with yet another combination in this match. Raylene Maxwell returned to her usual position of goal shoot, where she found some difficulty adjusting after two weeks in a

defence role. The Hagley team, determined to chalk up some points, played its best netball of the season with Sharon Young netting some accurate goals. Linda Parnham moved into the centre position where she directed play competently. Hagley ran up a five goal lead and held it during the half. A hard-working South Brighton side kept the pressure on their opposition, with Jill Barnett, wing defence, and Deane Stringer, wing attack, turning in sound games. The second half was a repeat of the first. Hagley extended their lead to 10 goals, as Young finished off passing moves with goals. Maria Tippa played another solid game for South Brighton, ably supporting Maxwell in the goal circle. The umpires were Jan Hefford and D. McTigue. Riccarton 27 v Teachers’ College B 20 Riccarton notched up its first points for the season beating a Teachers’ College team unable to repeat the excellent form it showed last week. At times the college players hesitated and seemed unsure of their passing.

Riccarton, on the other hand, played a very steady game, marred by patches of erratic passing. Dianne Nellis, at goal shoot, netted some nice shots from well out in the circle. Shelley Ujder, wing attack, and Lynne Rowe, centre, provided a good supply of ball to their shooters and Riccarton led by 12 goals to seven at half time. For Teachers’ College Toese Stewart scored some tidy goals and Kate Kernahan had a good game in defence, snapping up some timely interceptions. Riccarton had slightly the better of court play in the second spell to extend their half time lead to seven goals at the final whistle. The umpires were Joyce Walsh and Annette Orangi. Sacred Heart A 36 v Teachers’ College A 22 Sacred Heart started strongly giving the Teachers’ College team little chance to get into the game in the early minutes. The Sacred Heart team fielded a new combination with Leigh Gibbs moving from centre to goal defence and Sandra Heffernan filling in for Jennifer Readman at goal keep.

Accurate shooting from tne Sacred Heart shooters allowed the team to gain a comfortable lead which it held until half time. The College shooters, Leigh Bartlett and Nicky Power, had a mixed half with both netting some excellent goals but missing easy shots. , The College effort was more consistent in the second spell, with Anne Kersley, wing defence, and Jane Watson, goal defence, having sound games. However, the Sacred Heart team proved too strong. Karen Grickson turned in a good performance at centre, The umpires were Jan Hefford and Patsy Tainui. Points: Sacred Heart A, Burnside, 6; St Nicholas, Technical, Sacred Heart B, 4; Teachers’ College A, Riccarton, Hagley, 2; Teachers’ College B, South Brighton 0. Senior Reserve results: Burnside B 28, Burnside C 22; Sacred Heart 19, South Brighton 16, Sacred Heart College 39, Riccarton 35, Cashmere 28, St Nicholas 19.

Points: Burnside B, 6; Sacred Heart, 5; Sacred Heart College, 4; St Nicholas, 3; South Brighton, Burnside C, Cashmere, 2; Riccarton, 0.