Carterton Reds’ Tylah Higgison receives a ball from goal shoot Summer Priest, beating the defence of Rachel Shearing and Sinead Namana. PHOTO/PETE NIKOLAISON
NETBALL
CHRIS COGDALE
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Upsets highlighted the first round of Premier One Netball played on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Celtic started the Premier One Netball season the perfect way with a deserved win over Harcourts on Friday night.
In a good quality match, Celtic held off a strong challenge from the defending champions to come out 49-47 winners.
Carterton Legends got early bragging rights over their clubmates and showed that they won’t be easy beats, coming away with an upset 38-33 victory over last year’s beaten finalists Carterton Red.
The Legends’s defence of Rachel Shearing and Sinead Namana were outstanding in forcing the Reds into errors and turnovers, and restricting their goal-scoring opportunities.
Legends’ team organiser Deb Julian said the result “was a little bit of surprise”.
“We’ve got nothing to lose, and it’s only one win so we’re not getting carried away.
“I don’t quite know how we came away with the win, but I think the Reds found it quite hard with our slower style of play.”
St Matthew’s also won a close encounter, beating Greytown Holmes Construction 39-35.
Wairarapa College underlined that the colleges could be a major threat in the championship with an impressive 57-31 defeat of Gladstone Heat.
