YMP 2 pull away from Girls’ High in final quarter

YMP's Araana Ria does well to cut the ball off from Girls' High shooters Nevaeh Smith and Saige Brown in their clash on Saturday at the YMCA that was won by YMP. Photo / Paul Rickard

By Allisa Hall

The premier grade netball match-up between YMP 2 and Girls’ High lived up to expectations on Saturday morning in the Gisborne YMCA, and YMP managed to pull away only towards the end.

Character Roofing YMP 2 won the game 52-47, but the teams were locked 36-all at three-quarter time.

It was expected to be a close match between those two teams and it did not disappoint.

They started evenly matched during the first quarter, each scoring a couple of runs, but neither team were able to shake the other.

They went to the first break level at 11-all.

Midway through the second quarter YMP went on a five-goal streak, then a three-goal run late in the piece, to push out to a seven-goal lead at halftime.

The third quarter had Gisborne Girls’ High School Senior A chip away at the deficit, but YMP pushed out again.

YMP were steady with a five-goal margin, but the students finished strongly, bagging the last five goals of the quarter to level it up again going into the final period.

The final quarter was anyone’s for the taking.

Both teams had three-goal runs, then went goal for goal, until YMP went on another five-goal streak.

The last few minutes went goal for goal, but Girls’ High were unable to pull it back again.

So, YMP took the four points from the game, and Girls’ High picked up a precious bonus point.

Results from the other grades in the Pakn’Save competition at Victoria Domain ( ** bonus point earned)

Prem Reserve: Steve Craill Builder Ngatapa 20, Horouta Taimana 20; First Light Electrical GGHS Snr B 29, Aorangi Contracting HSOG 27 **; Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit 28, Claydens Waikohu P2 22.

A Grade: Whalis 39, Claydens Waikohu 2 22; YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 29 **, GGHS Junior A 30; Pioneer 34, Gisborne Glass Ngatapa 18.

1st Grade: Claydens Waikohu Social A 25, Whangara Paikea 38; Claydens Waikohu Social B 32, Campion Snr A 15; OBM Blue 22, Smash Palace Sportsfit 33;

Tyre General Ngatāpa 37, Campion Snr A 17; Tyre General Ngātapa 26, OBM Blue 26.

1st Reserve: Allwood Enterprises HSOG 22, Pirates Manawa 26; TR Builds Horouta Hiriwa 31, Tatapouri Sportsfit GCs 15.

2nd Grade: Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 29, OBM OG 42; GGHS Tuākana 29, Newman & Newman Ngatāpa 20.

Coming up: On Wednesday the YMCA will host the eagerly awaited clash between Turanga FM YMP and Claydens Waikohu 1 at 6pm.

This should be an exciting match between the two top-ranked teams for the round so far.

At 7.30pm there will be a “Whangara showdown” — Whangara OG 1 versus East Coast Roofing OPG Whangara.