Auckland teams had a win and a loss in the top grade at the national provincial netball championships in Hamilton yesterday.
Manukau downed Manawatu 69-55 but Auckland-Waitakere went down 39-45 to Canterbury.
Manawatu choked in the final quarter against Manukau after trailing by only one point. For Manukau, Janine Topia scored 48 from 55 attempts and Nicolette Ropati notched 17 from 19.
Otago came from behind to beat Southland 55-47. The win threw group B wide open as most pundits were picking Southland, with several of the champion Southern Sting Coca-Cola Cup team in the starting line-up, to be too good for the developing Otago side.
The match of the round today will be the clash between Otago and Canterbury.
Southland will be looking to get their first points with a win over Auckland-Waitakere.
Manukau play Wellington, and top seeds and defending champions Waikato meet Manawatu.
Waikato stormed to a 70-46 win over Wellington in the opening game. Former Silver Fern Noeline Taurua was in devastating form at goal-attack, linking superbly with lofty South African shooter Michelle Tupper in the circle and midcourters Jenny-May Coffin and Amigene Metcalfe.
The 32-year-old Taurua, a former Wellington player, now lives in Rotorua and is coaching Bay of Plenty in the second-grade championship.
Her Bay coaching career began with a 77-62 win over Taranaki on Sunday night.
Waikato coach Ruth Aitken said her team were inspired by Taurua's energy and commitment.
Wellington, who brought a relatively inexperienced midcourt to the nationals, suffered a major blow nine minutes into the second quarter when captain and goal-defence Pelesa Semu went down with a calf injury and is unlikely to play for the rest of the tournament.
The weakened defence was shored up by Jodi Te Huna who was moved from goal-attack.
Wellington's major problem came in the midcourt where they fumbled and threw away possession with ease.
Their three shooters, Irene van Dyk, Kimberley Horton and Jodi Te Huna were lethal when they got the ball. Van Dyk missed only one goal, the others none.
In second-grade games, Bay of Plenty notched up their second win, this time 65-49 over Netball North.
- NZPA
First grade: Waikato 70 Wellington Gold 46, Manukau 69 Manawatu 55, Canterbury 45 Auckland-Waitakere 39, Otago Gold 55 Southland 47.
Points: Waikato, Manukau 4, Manawatu, Wellington Gold 0. Pool B: Otago Gold, Canterbury 4, Southland, Auckland-Waitakere 0.
Second grade: Bay of Plenty 77 Taranaki 62, Counties 53 Canterbury Black 52, Wanganui 60 Waikato Seniors 45, Eastern 55 Wellington White 48, Bay of Plenty Colonial 65 Netball North 49, Taranaki 70 Tasman 33, Waikato Premier 55 Canterbury Red 43.
Points: Bay of Plenty 8, Taranaki, Waikato Premier 4, Netball North, Tasman, Canterbury Red 0. Pool B: Wanganui, Counties, Eastern 4, Canterbury Black 1, Waikato Senior, Wellington White 0.
Netball: Auckland beaten in first game but Manukau win
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