Hearts holds lead despite injuries

Press, 26 June 1989, Page 22

Hearts holds lead despite injuries

Hearts C had a bad day with injuries and a one goal win over St Nicholas B in the senior netball competition at the Hagley courts on Saturday.

day. Its players struggled with the tight scoreline and three of its members had to go off injured. Sally Mene, who broke a bone in her foot a few weeks ago,.was forced on prematurely at centre to tide her side over. Hearts still holds the top spot in the senior competition. St Nicholas A streaked away from South Brighton A in the first half of its match to win conclusively. Hearts A was never under any pressure from Hearts B in their clash and Riccarton’s lucky escape from an inspired Hagley side in the last match of the day leaves it in third place.

Its players struggled with the tight scoreline and three of its members had to go off injured. Sally Mene, who broke a bone in her foot a few weeks ago,.was forced on prematurely at centre to tide her side over. Hearts still holds the top spot in the senior competition. St Nicholas A streaked away from South Brighton A in the first half of its match to win conclusively.

Rain settled in earnest during the last hour of play and the freezing conditions made play difficult. TRUST BANK TROPHY Riccarton 49, Hagley A 48 Hagley had the last centre pass and was almost to its goal circle when the final hooter sounded. To be so near its first victory must have left it disappointed. Hagley was always in with a chance but never really took it purposefully enough to subdue the rigorous Riccarton line-up.

The score was deadlocked at the first quarter mark as Hagley made good use of its early opportunities. Tanya Hoffman, the Hagley goal defence, took a switch down to goal attack and her rebounding skills were useful but not always necessary as she converted her attempts well.

Ita O’Rouke was also in good form at goal shoot, and the two combined efficiently against Sally Couper and Virginia Page, the Riccarton defence duo.

Diane Brown, the Hagley centre, was once again in the blue and white uniform and once again provided considerable impetus through the centre court with her steady form.

Lee MacKenzie, the Riccarton goal shoot, continued with

her impressive season and her talented moves and accurate shooting make her a deadly weapon for the Riccarton side.

Genae Hohipuha, the Riccarton goal attack, played her customary tactical match, as her injured knee does not appear to be much improved. Her nous in the goal circle kept the Hagley defence powerhouses fully extended. Hagley made some more daring changes at half time as Hoffman moved back down to goal defence, Angela Nolan was swiped from the B team on the adjacent court and put at goal shoot and O’Rourke moved to goal attack. Carla Woodham moved from goal defence to wing defence, Grace Thompson from wing defence to wing attack, and Fiona Siose came off from wing attack. Hagley trailed 28-22 at this point. Riccarton also made some switches as Mary Irvine came off from centre and Raylene Maxwell came on at wing attack. Averill Amyes went from wing attack to wing defence. Karen Erickson moved from wing defence to centre. The refresher course on positions worked in Hagley's favour as it began to counterattack with some incisive attack play. Nolan has been a pivotal force when she has had court time for the A team and her availability for passes combined with an unerring eye started to rock the Riccarton Play. Nolan continued to move well and set O’Rourke up for possession. The intelligent feeding from the Hagley attack line set the team up for a take-over bid at the threequarter mark as it trailed 3836.

But the win was not to be as Riccarton grimly held on to the end and breathed a sigh of relief to escape with two points.

Umpires: Annette Orangi and Kirsten Lloyd. Hearts A 58, Hearts B 29

Hearts A had a stranglehold on the match from the first whistle. The B team, which had been so outstandingjthe week before, could

not recapture its form and was unable to capitalise on its chances. Sharron Burridge, the Hearts A goal keep, was the thorn in the sibling side as the long arm of her law repeatedly took possession from her helpless opponents. Leonie Carroll, the Hearts B goal shoot who has been gaining in confidence every week, appeared disheartened by the regularity of Burridge’s attempts on her possession.

The B team still tried to lob passes into the goal circle at inopportune times and the tall defence relished the floated balls. Sandra Wilkinson, the Hearts B goal attack and later goal shoot, once again proved her worth as she busied herself with court work and maintained a high percentage of quality shots at the goal.

Hearts A led 15-5 at the end of the first quarter and 20-10 at half time. The finality of the half-time score took the pressure off and the match continued in a good spirit.

Hearts A had some careless passes on attack as its early work had set it up so well, but Sue Camp, back on goal attack, had a great game as she moved and shot fluently. Hearts A made some changes at the three quarter mark. Jo Lowry replaced Julie Dawson at wing defence. Hearts B subbed Carroll off, replaced her with Wilkinson and Karen Pierce came on at goal attack. Injury struck Anne Bowen, the industrious Hearts B centre, in the third quarter when she fell heavily on her knee as she took a pass. She was taken off the court in a wheelchair and Adrienne Hayes, who had already played for the Hearts C team, came on at wing attack.

The B team was forced to call on Hayes as it had subbed on its entire squad. Hearts A continued to build on its 44-17 lead at the three quarter mark as Anna Pilbrow finally got the measure of Larissa Glubb, tha Hearts B goal keep. ;

Umpires: June Woodham and Eileen Crone. St Nicholas A 58, South Brighton A 35 St Nicholas laboured with a loss of staff once again as the promising Jane Dierichs was sitting an examination at Lincoln College. Chris Palmer settled in at wing attack and Barbara Kreft took her place at goal keep. St Nicholas made a tardy start to the clash as South Brighton was well in touch at the end of the first quarter 97 although its initial venom had wavered by half time as it trailed 27-16. Annette Heffernan, the St Nicholas wing defence was in devastating form as she floated through the mid court taking interceptions at will. St Nicholas made an unsettled start as its urgency through court was almost too quick for its own team members and loose ball fell for the eager South Brighton defenders, Barbara Lane and Jane Hassell. Hassell made a good fist out of the goal defence position as she usually plays at wing defence. South Brighton was missing Lisa Chamberlain, its wing attack, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Jane Blay, the South Brighton goal shoot, was again in reliable form as she fired her attempts over the outstretched reach of Kreft and Karen Burrows (goal defence), confidently. St Nicholas switched Kreft and Heffernan at the three quarter mark and its 42-24 lead was indisputable. April leremia was back at goal shoot for St Nicholas and Julie Culhane took over at goal attack. leremia sliced through her defenders well but some of her early work was wayward. Her good humoured grin proved that it was not unsettling her and Culhane maintained a steady work load. leremia’s touch returned as the match wore on and she found her rhythm. Umpires: Anne Marie Leech and Annette Orangi. SENIOR Hearts C 57, St Nicholas B 56 St Nicholas had the experienced Hearts C team on the

ropes and pushed its advantage for its first knockout of the season. It led 44-40 at the three quarter mark and appeared capable of taking the upset win. But it had not bargained on the determination of the Hearts C team in spite of its injury niggles. Players from the Hearts team came off regularly through the match and the ones who battled on court also had their troubles. Sarah Mulder was the first Hearts player off from the centre position which forced Sally Mene on a little too early as she is still recovering from a broken bone in her foot.

Margaret Taylor, the feisty wing defence, retired soon after with back trouble and then Brenda Rowberry tore a muscle in her calf and came off in considerable pain. She might well be out for a while recovering. Margaret Smith, the Hearts C centre, was away and left a core of four players in a squad of nine. The pressure St Nicholas was able to apply tested Hearts’ fitness and Cathy Johnstone, the St Nicholas goal shoot, rose to the occasion with some superb shooting. Rowberry's replacement, Juliet Hanham, did push Johnstone around with some unintentional physical marking but Johnstone proved equal to the task and pushed back even harder. St Nicholas showed its true potential as it moved the ball well through the court and its togetherness brought it close to upsetting the competition leader. Umpires: Joyce Walsh. Julie Smith. Technical 42, Villa Maria A

Villa may not have won a game this season but it has turned on some mature and encouraging performances against experienced opposition.

It came close to the second placed team with some changes to its usual line-up. Juliette Glubb and Rochelle Krammer had switched positions and played at goal shoot and goal attack respectively, lernice Mene and Rachel

Lennon had also made the change to goal keep and goal defence respectively. Technical made some changes at half time. Jo Dawes came off from wing attack, Raywyn Watson came on at wing defence and Jane Maze came on at goal keep. Jenny Watson, the spirited Technical goal shoot, is a bundle of energy in the goal circle and shot with deadly accuracy. Technical led all the way but it was a lead which could have been trimmed and overtaken. It led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter but the school team recovered to trail 22-23 at half time and 27-32 at three-quarter time. Umpires: Kay Norris, Leigh Gibbs. St Nicholas C 38, Hagley B 39 The removal of Angela Nolan for the Hagley A team’s efforts certainly left a hole in the Hagley B team on court two as it struggled to control the side which was unconvincing in the first round. The St Nicholas C win has brought it to equal pegging with Hagley on four points as it has improved under the watchful eye of a new coach. Hagley led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter but was under pressure at half time as St Nicholas had hit its straps and led 20-18. Tracey Scott replaced Nolan at goal shoot.

Bee Patterson was back on court for Hagley after recovering from an injury to her foot and the Hagley defence was uncompromising. Robyn Ford and Rebecca Millichip, the St Nicholas shooters, again blended well and made the most of their opportunities. St Nicholas had stretched its lead to 29-24 at three-quarter time and it continued to build on its work well to take a timely win. Umpires: Murray and Linda Petterson. Points.—

Trust Bank: St Nicholas A 12, Riccarton 10. Hearts A 8. Hearts B 4. South Brighton A 2, Hagley A 0. Senior: Hearts C 12. Technical 10. St Nicholas B 6. Higley B 4, St Nicholas C 4, VWa Maria 0. t