Kuranui on target for second seeding

Kuranui College is on target to claim second seeding going into the semi-finals of Netball Wairarapa's premier one competition.
Their hard-fought 43-39 win over Sports Arena Carterton at the Genesis Recreation Centre on Monday night consolidated Kuranui's second position on the points table behind unbeaten Harcourts with just two matches remaining before the semi-finalists are decided.
What makes a top two seeding so important for Kuranui is that it will give them two bites of the cherry as far as making the grand final is concerned.
Under the repechage competition format seedings one and two meet in the first series of semi-finals as do the third and fourth seeds.
The winner of the former will go automatically into the grand final while the loser will play the winner of the game between the third and fourth seeds to decide the other finalist.
Kuranui coach Lynda Strange was anticipating a stern challenge from Sports Arena Carterton and got what she expected.
Sports Arena Carterton started strongly and actually led by one goal at the end of the first quarter but Kuranui upped the ante in the second quarter and were seven goals up at halftime.
The third quarter was evenly contested and it was Sports Arena Carterton who had the better of the last quarter, reducing Kuranui's advantage to just the four goals.
Strange said her side had struggled at times through holding onto the ball too long and therefore providing greater opportunity for what was an impressive Sports Arena Carterton defensive unit to pick up tips and intercepts.
And their own defence had struggled to combat the skills of experienced Sports Arena Carterton goal shoot Nelda Day whose clever positioning often left her in clear space.
On the plus side though coach Strange was pleased at the way in which Kuranui increased the tempo of the game when it was most required and with the accuracy of her shooters in pressure situations.
Outstanding for them were the Phillips sisters, Te Ata on defence and Waimarama in the shooting circle
The other premier one match played at the Genesis Recreation Centre on Monday night saw Salute Greytown make a welcome return to winning form.
They beat Carterton Red 51-43.