Two sides still unbeaten - June 2016
TWO teams continue to dominate the top of the table in the Wanganui Premier One netball championship after the fourth round on Monday night.
Phillips Electrical Whanganui High School and Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau are tied on 12 points and remain the only unbeaten sides in the eight-team competition.
Kaierau, however, has the edge on goal difference at this stage of the championship.
Kaierau looked a tad vulnerable at times against Mint Cafe Marist, but finally gained control late in the game to win comfortably, 48-27.
WHS had a tough close tussle with New World Taihape finally claiming the match 43-37.
The frustrating run of injuries and illness appeared over for Wanganui Athletic Sports when they impressed, winning every quarter to beat Mere Te Aroha 57-34.
WA Sports coach Trish Anstis has struggled to regularly field her best combinations so far, but the potential was finally realised on Monday.
"Well, I'm so proud of the girls, they stuck to the game plan just about the whole game. As a coach to win all four quarters is a hard ask and I don't think my team has managed this for quite some time, so I'm pretty happy," Anstis said.
"We started the game a bit shaky, but once they settled into the game they grew with confidence.
"It was a total team effort with captain Hayley Addenbrooke and Diana Williams-Cribb feeding the shooters Victoria Anstis and Stevie Rowan with precision passing and both shooters finished off well.
"Cheyanne McDougall was outstanding, picking up numerous intercepts and between Julie Rowan, Lucy Stewart and Cheyanne they created turnover after turnover, which was converted at the other end."
WA Sports won the first quarter 13-7, the second 27-16, the third 41-29 to produce the 57-34 victory. They now sit third on the table with eight points ahead of Kaiwhaiki in fourth on seven, Marist six, MTA four, Taihape three and Cullinane two.
Spectator-wise the Cullinane clash with Taihape was perhaps the game of the night. The match ended in a 47-all draw after Taihape led through the first three quarters. Taihape started well, claiming the first quarter 11-9, widening the gap slightly to 24-19 at half time before Cullinane began a fight back in the third to sit just four points adrift (37-33).
The young, far less experienced Cullinane team showed real comeback quality to out-point their rivals in the final quarter and end the match with the 47-all draw.
Cullinane coach Te Ora Nyman said while she was again unable to field a full complement of her more senior players with some away on other school commitments, the young team showed true grit on the night.
"This team is a beautiful side, but still a work in progress. Last night they connected better and showed a bit more confidence in their combinations," Nyman said.
"Shannah Andrews (GS) and Ina Whanarere (GA) were key players I had back in the side after missing the last couple of weeks. They both had excellent games. We just need to work a bit harder on our defence, but I was really proud of the girls last night."
The match-up of the night next Monday will be the top of the table clash between Kaierau and WHS.
(Wanganui Chronicle 15/6/16)