Netball: Diamonds scratch up 8-goal win

By JULIE ASH

The Auckland Diamonds had to work hard to beat the Counties Manukau Cometz last night - as their rivals from down the road maintained their tradition of rattling their big city counterparts.

In the five times the teams have clashed since the start of the National Bank Cup, the Diamonds have won three times and the Cometz two.

In last night's 58-50 win at Papatoetoe's Allan Brewster Stadium there was certainly no love lost between the neighbouring teams in what was an extremely physical encounter.

Diamonds coach Joan Hodson opted for a somewhat different starting lineup for the match.

Krystal Feterika-Opetaia, 19, started the match at centre and Loren Eagle at goal defence. In the shooting circle Anna Senio and Julie Kelman-Poto teamed up as goal attack and goal shoot. Captain Anna Rowberry, Silver Fern trialist Leigh Price and promising young shooter Brigette Tapene were all on the bench.

The Cometz made the most of the slightly unusual Diamonds lineup and led at the first quarter by 16-14 after a sloppy start from both teams.

Cometz shooters Phillipa Te Hira and Monica Tupuono-Fuimaono ran rings around the Diamonds defence while wing defence Roxanne Chatterton upset the Diamonds flow though the midcourt.

Hodson stuck with the same lineup in the second quarter but after her team trailed the Cometz by one at halftime she had seen enough. On came Rowberry, Price and Tapene at centre, goal defence and goal attack respectively.

The changes initially paid off and the Diamonds drew level, before rushing out to a four-goal lead at the three-quarter break.

Determined not to let their opponents run away with the game, the Cometz fought back to within two.

However the Diamonds managed to string a few goals together near the end to make sure of the win.

The standout player for the Auckland side was Senio who netted 15 goals out of 18 attempts as goal attack in the first half and 24 goals out of 29 attempts as goal shoot in the second half.

The Diamonds move up to third on the table, but that could change after today's final round six match, between North Harbour's Force and the Bay of Plenty Waikato Magic at North Shore Events Centre.

Wing defence Victoria Edward also had a strong match for the Diamonds.

In other matches played last night the Southern Sting edged out the Canterbury Flames 60-51 after the match was locked at 27-27 at half time and the Capital Shakers beat the bottom-placed Western Flyers 54-48.

It was the Shakers first win over the competition and moved them above the Cometz into seventh place.

In round seven tomorrow, the Flyers play the Sting in New Plymouth, the Shakers host the Flames in Wellington, the Cometz play the Rebels in Papatoetoe and the Diamonds travel to Tauranga for a must-win game against the Magic.