Central netballers secure fourth spot midway through Super 8
"That performance has been a few years in the waiting."
These were the words of Vet Services Central Sports coach Jeanette Oliver after her team beat RDCL Outkast Sports 47-39 in last night's seventh round of Hawke's Bay's Super 8 premier club netball competition at Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena.
The victory leaves Central (pictured above in action earlier this season) in fourth place with another seven games remaining before the semifinals. Oliver agreed Central can maintain this berth if they continue to play to the standards displayed last night.
"It's doable. Obviously, Outkast would have wanted the win just as much as us but we produced our most skilled and most drilled game of the season," Oliver explained.
"Yes we turned over a lot of ball but we made up for that with our defensive pressure," Oliver said.
Midcourters Olivia Tilyard and Anna Catley shone with their defensive work. Goal attack Kirby Beach sunk 24 of her 31 attempts for a 77 per cent success rate while goal shoot Laike Baker had a 75 per cent success rate with 22 from 29.
Central's shooting percentage was 75 and Outkast's 61. Goal attack Holand Marsh was the best of the Outkast shooters with 68 per cent after nailing 33 of her 48 attempts.
Central led 11-10 after the first quarter, 28-21 at halftime and 38-30 after the third quarter.
The only team to beat defending champions Thirsty Whale Otane Sports this season, Tremains All In Elusive, maintained top spot on the points table with a 63-41 victory over Hastings Girls' High School Senior A. All In goal shoot Kathleen Nahora had a 91 per cent success rate with 58 from 64.
All In had a shooting percentage of 86 while HGHS had 66.
Otane Sports bounced back from the previous round's loss to All In with a 66-38 victory over Napier Girls' High School Senior A. Otane goal shoot Mia Reeves sunk 57 of her 64 attempts for an 89 per cent success rate.
The other match saw BM Accounting HHSOG Huia beat Three Wise Birds HHSOG Kereru 67-24. Huia goal attack Abbey Green sunk 27 of her 31 attempts during three quarters on court for an 87 per cent success rate.
