Accuracy paves the way for Kuranui win

Accurate goal shooting paved the way for Kuranui College's comfortable 59-40 win over Gladstone All Blacks in the Netball Wairarapa premier one match played at the Genesis Recreation Centre in Masterton on Monday night.
It was a completely different story from Kuranui's previous effort against unbeaten Harcourts which saw them lose 53-19 in a game where their shooting percentages were well below par.
Kuranui coach Lynda Strange said the acid was put on shooters Waimarama Phillips and Alanna Strange to come up trumps against a Gladstone All Blacks team with a solid defence and they had responded well to that challenge.
"Against Harcourts we were 11 goals down at the end of the first quarter because of missed opportunities and that put us on the back foot," Strange said. "We knew we would be in trouble if that happened again, we simply had to be more consistent in that department."
More consistent Kuranui certainly were, leading 17-11 when the first quarter ended and 38-20 by halftime.
In the third quarter too they had the edge in goals scored, 11 to eight, with the only "victory" for Gladstone All Blacks coming in the fourth and final quarter where they registered two more goals than the students. By then, of course, it was all over bar the shouting.
It wasn't only the improved shooting which pleased Strange though, she was also encouraged by the slickness of the ball movement through the court, an area in which Chanel Phillips was prominent, and the steadiness of the defence spearheaded by Jayde Gauld and Te Ata Phillips.
The Kuranui success consolidated their position as the most likely challengers to Harcourts for the premier one title this season but Strange is quick to emphasise they are no certainties to make it through to the grand final.
"Obviously it's our aim to be there and our results show it is possible but it would be dangerous to think that far ahead," she said. "A couple of off days and it could be all over and that's what we need to guard against."