St Matthew's Collegiate coach Jo McKenzie isn't about to predict her side will this year successfully defend the Wairarapa premier one netball title they won last season. Their comfortable 52-35 success over Greytown at the Genesis Recreation Centre in Masterton on Monday night saw St Matthew's move into third place onthe competition table behind unbeaten Harcourts and Kuranui College but McKenzie was quick to emphasise there was still much work to do before they could be seen as serious championship contenders. "Yes, we are making progress but we've got still got some way to go," she said "It's a pretty steep learning curve but we are getting there." McKenzie said the victory over Greytown was not as easily achieved as the final scoreline in what was a "fairly physical" encounter might indicate. The two sides were level pegging at 12-12 at the end of the first quarter and it was only in the third quarter, when St Matthew's scored 14 goals to Greytown's two, that the students dominated their opposition. "They (Greytown) were very competitive for most of the game, it wasn't like we blew them off the court," McKenzie said. "If anything the end result was probably a bit flattering to us." Wing attack Sophie Deans had an outstanding game for St Matthew's with her speed and agility always being obvious while others to impress included centre Paige Drummond and shooters Tessa Clinton-Baker and Leanna Taiapa. Wairarapa College and Gladstone All Blacks were also scheduled to meet in a premier one match on Monday evening but it became a no-contest when a Wairarapa College squad depleted by sickness defaulted.
