Netball table tight

Press, 21 April 1986, Page 3

Netball table tight

Without even taking the court, A.S.B. Collegiate, of Auckland, gained the most satisfaction from the double round of matches in the Swiss Maid national netball league over the week-end. None of the four teams immediately below it managed two wins in the week-end, leaving Collegiate two points clear in second place and with games in hand over its closest rivals.

It is unthinkable, given its superb performance against Sacred Heart yesterday, that the unbeaten Cannel Mainzeal, of North Shore, will miss a place in the final, but St Nicholas, in its first season in the league, has

a chanct of being the other finalist.

Its slender win over the bottom side, Wellington East Old Girls yesterday, put it in third place on goal difference and its last thret games, includCollegiate, are all at home. No team suffered more at the week-end than the defending champion, Laser Verdettes, of Hamilton. Two losses in Christchurch and Wellington leave it almost certainly out of contention for a final place. The battle to make the top foui, and avoid the danger of challenge matches is desperately tight. Wellington East and College Rifles Healthways,

of Auckland, will probably be two of the four, but none of the quartet on four points has any justification to feel safe. Results.—

Saturday: Carmel 57, St Nicholas 53; Sacred Heart 66, Verdettes 56; College Rifles 53, P.I.C. 46.

Sunday: Cannel 82, Sacred Heart 46; P.I.C. 45, Verdettes 36; St Nicholas 39, Wellington East Old Girls 37.

POINTS TABLE P W D L F A Pt Cannel 5 5 0 0320231 10 Coll. 3 3 0 0163105 6 St. Nich. 4 2 0 2181180 4 Sac. Ht 4 2 0 2228236 4 Verd. 5 2 0 3212239 4 P.I.C. 5 2 0 3231279 4 Rifles 5 1 1 3219239 3 W.E.O.G. 5 0 1 4193238 1