NETBALL: Marist lead charge of lower ranked teams

The lower-ranked teams had the edge in the netball preliminary Premier Reserve round.

Takahiwai 1 (ranked 1) played Craig's Firestone Marist 1 (6) with Marist 1 winning 38-34.

Marist 1 mixed youth and experience. Young players Amy Eagar (centre), Kate Atchison (wing attack) and Jaimee Dunn (goal attack) combined well and complimented the experience of Germaine Gibson at goal shoot.

Frances Coutts (goal keep) and Rebecca Simper (goal defence) had their work cut out for them after Takahiwai 1 made second-half changes but still managed intercepts and rebounds. At half time Takahiwai 1 were behind 15 goals and clawed back to be four goals down at fulltime.

A former premier team which is rebuilding, like Marist 1, they have a number of new younger inexperienced players combining with experienced players.

Takahiwai 1 defenders Morgana Nathan (goal defence) and Ann-Marie Lambly (goal keep) were kept busy throughout the game and played strongly.

Educare North Fideliter 3 (ranked 3) played Wahine Toa 3 (ranked 5) with Wahine Toa 3 prevailing 45 - 21.

Fideliter 3 started slowly against a team that was superior overall.

For Wahine Toa 3 the Te Iringa sisters combined well in defence led by older sister Leah and made life tough for the Fideliter shooters.

At the other end of the court Ivy Te Nana in wing attack had a great game, feeding the circle with precision and extracting turnover ball on defence.

Fideliter 3's defensive combination of Dawn Thompson and Kelly Stevens were tested and replied with a number of rebounds and turnovers. The midcourt combination of Louise Morgan, Alice May and newcomer Aime O'Conner worked hard to bring the ball through the court but the Fideliter shooters weren't easily able to convert due to the Wahine Toa defence.

In the final game of the day Educare North Fideliter 2 (ranked 2) lost to Treewise Marist Old Girls (ranked 4) 23-43

Marist Old Girls' Rose Parker at goal keeper and Helen Francis at goal defence took advantage of turnover ball and Kellie Middleton shone in defence.

Nicky Taylor at goal shooter and Rose Baker at goal attack combined well. Fideliter 2's defence worked hard to restrict ball to the Marist shooters and goal keeper Frances Esveld was the pick of the Fideliter defenders. Ursula Buckingham at centre and Renee Lowther at wing attack also managed to feed some good ball to their shooters despite some formidable defence.