It seemed as though Pakuranga could not get enough of Sancta Maria College’s netball team on Saturday.
With the girls facing Pakuranga College’s premier side for the second time, the girls were going in with high hopes and hearts set on a win following their upsetting defeat to Pakuranga during the grading games.
With illness and injuries causing some worry and concern for the entire team, they did not drop their heads in spite of this, but rather used this as drive and motivation to win.
Starting the game off on a high note, the girls converted the first goal setting the scene for what was to come throughout the entire game. Gaining a 6-point lead against Pakuranga, the girls just kept lifting throughout the first half.
With Pakuranga slowly closing the gap, the Sancta side capitalised on what little mistakes the opposition made to fortunately come out with a hearty win, winning by 4 points. The buzzer for the end of the game sounded and the Sancta Maria Premier side could not have been happier with their performance.
After being treated with playing indoors at the Auckland Netball Centre courts, the premier squad had to brave the horrible conditions outside at HPNC, with rain pouring down and southerly winds numbing whatever feelings they had left in their hands and feet.
Clearly unused to the weather at hand, the premier girls used the first half of their afternoon game against Pakuranga as a warm-up, waking up in the third quarter. Trailing by 6 after the second quarter, the SMC girls started to realise that they had to lift their game immensely.
With uplifted hearts and determination running through their bodies, the girls went into the third quarter, guns blazing. A whole-hearted effort from the entire team saw the girls lifting with each minute that passed.
Down by only 2 points heading into the last quarter, the players of the SMC premier squad made sure to minimalise their mistakes and capitalise on Pakuranga’s faults. A major defensive effort saw the shooters gaining more ball with each passing moment. The support from the Sancta Maria side-line gave more motivation to the players, lifting them even more.
Leaving everything they had on the court, the girls came out with a 5-point lead, finishing the day off with the best outcome. All in all a great day for the SMC Netball Premier team.
Martina Kleis
