Southland 56
Auckland Waitakere 46
KEY POINTS:
Southland player/coach Natalie Avellino's leadership was pivotal in her side's emphatic 56-46 defeat of Auckland Waitakere in yesterday's national netball championship. It's been a long time between drinks for Southland, who last held the New Zealand Cup aloft 49 years ago, making the oysters and champagne all the sweeter.
"I think we were composed," goal shoot Avellino said. "We just took our time and we were patient."
The Invercargill-based outfit qualified in third position for the final, after losing to North and Waikato - who were relegated to the first grade's second division after a 52-40 loss to Canterbury.
Their Auckland Waitakere counterparts went into the grand final as defending champions, although Southland were the only side in this year's national championships to beat them, in the first game of the round robin.
Avellino's leadership at the end of the court proved a telling factor in the Southlanders' victory, while Auckland Waitakere's young side were left without an on-court maestro to direct play.
Auckland Waitakere captain Rachel Rasmussen attributed the loss to a haemorrhaging of goals in the first half, the northerners down 33-17 at the break.
"I think we just had a slow start," Rasmussen said. "We didn't execute the game plan."
Rasmussen dispelled thoughts her side weren't up to the challenge. "I really can't pinpoint [why we didn't win]. Player for player, we can definitely match them."
The loss was a bitter pill for injured Auckland Waitakere midcourter Jenny-May Coffin who had to be content with cheering on her teammates from the sideline.
Coffin, who announced her withdrawal from next year's Southland Steel ANZ Championship campaign, was sidelined after sustaining a knee injury during the week.
"I just think that second quarter put them into that situation," Coffin said. "When you go down by that much, it's hard to come back."
Meanwhile, it took two lacklustre quarters for North to finally find their rhythm against an athletic Otago in yesterday's fight for third position.
There was concern North's slow start was due to the testing 54-53 semi-final loss to eventual grand finalists Southland on Friday. Their trademark tenacious, confrontational style had all but disappeared in the opening stanza.
Yet, despite being 14 goals behind at half time, North clawed their way back into contention, sitting just two goals adrift with two minutes left on the clock. However, a fairytale ending was not to be for the northerners with Otago victorious 55-53.
"We started off slow and at this level, you can't afford to be playing catch-up netball," said North captain Vilimaina Davu.
