Netball: Wilson produces Sting in southern derby win

Sting 61 Rebels 38

Silver Ferns captain Adine Wilson led her Southern Sting to a convincing 61-38 win over the Otago Rebels in the National Bank Cup derby match in Invercargill yesterday.

Mid-courter Wilson, who dominated the game, was named player of the match as the southerners strung together their second win in a row.

Sting shooter Tania Dalton was the standout in the circle, succeeding with 28 of her 29 attempts at goal (a 96 per cent success rate), with Belinda Colling shooting 86 per cent and Natalie Avellino 82 per cent.

Top scorer for the Rebels was Angela Mitchell with 30 goals from 45 attempts, a 66 per cent average.

The Sting overcame a strong start by the Rebels to post their convincing victory. The home side led by just one goal - 13-12 - after the first quarter as the Otago-franchise aimed for success against their neighbours.

But at halftime the Sting moved into a 29-21 lead and they never looked back in the final two quarters. They scored 17 goals in the third and another 15 in the final quarter to run away with the match.

Meanwhile, the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic continued their outstanding unbeaten record with a 55-43 win over the Canterbury Flames on Friday night.

Experienced mid-courter Amigene Metcalfe's cool head played a leading role in the win, being instrumental in the Magic's attacking flow with her feeding expertise and ability to control the tempo in the face of a spirited Flames challenge.

Apart from the second quarter, the Magic held the upper hand with quarter scores of 14-8, 26-20 and 40-31.

Silver Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk, for the Magic, and her opposite Vilimaina Davu had a titanic battle, with the imposing Flames defender making her mark in reducing the usually unflappable van Dyk to her lowest percentage of the season - a return of 28 from 36 attempts for 77 per cent.

Van Dyk, however, was well supported by Australian Tanya Lund, who showed her growing maturity in the competition with 27 from 35 attempts to help steer the Magic to their most successful run in the competition with their eighth successive win.

In the other match on Friday, a fourth quarter surge by the Shakers saw them prevail over the Flyers 43-41 in a tenacious battle between the two previously winless teams.

The Shakers trailed throughout the match before a late rally on the back of a solid shooting performance from Lovila Paki, who returned figures of 23 goals from 26 attempts (88 per cent).

It was the Shakers' first win in two seasons after they went winless throughout last year's competition.

- NZPA