A dramatic last-minute interception by Casey Williams allowed New Zealand under-21 netball team to beat Australia 52-51 in their semifinal at world youth netball championships in Florida today (NZ time).
Williams, a Silver Fern defender, stole her intercept under the Australian goal , a possession which New Zealand converted at the other end , giving them victory.
It ended a close and dramatic match, which was given added drama when a lightning strike during the third quarter plunged the stadium into darkness and halted the game for 15 minutes.
New Zealand held a narrow lead through most of the match. New Zealand had a 14-10 lead after the first quarter but the Australians clawed it back to 26-24 at halftime and 38-37 at three-quarter time.
Both sides had been unbeaten through the qualifying rounds.
Coach Te Aroha Keenan was delighted with her team's performance, commending their resolve and focus under intense pressure.
"It was a big step up for these girls today, and I am just so thrilled with their performance," she said.
"We've still got a big hurdle to cross tomorrow and there's no room for complacency at this point, but we'll take the win today and enjoy it."
Williams, Rachel Rasmussen and Laura Langman were rated as standouts among the New Zealand team.
The lightning strike wasn't a major problem as the team had prepared for a possible disruption, having seen one at the world championships in Jamaica in 2003, Netball New Zealand said.
- NZPA
Netball: NZ defeats Australia in under-21 world champs semifinal
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