Mainland have been the first team to bag maximum points in the Synergy Hair Netball League with a strong all-round performance against the Southern Blast.
Hosting the Blast at Christchurch Arena, Mainland built on every quarter to run out 53-33 winners in what was the league’s first game in a Covid-impacted season.
Captain Lily Fletcher said they were extremely grateful to have that game under their belt and was pleased to get the win.
“It was really good connections from our group today – everyone was on the same page today and we were just so happy to be out there.”
Player availability due to Covid disruptions had been a challenge for both teams in the build-up but allowed for a number of debutantes taking their opportunities, including Mainland training partner Georgia Gold.
“There’s definitely been some uncertainty over playing numbers, so it was really exciting to see someone like Georgia, who’s still really young, take her chance out there and play a full 60 minutes at centre was great,” Fletcher said.
“It was also nice to see us put out on court what we’ve been working on in training and build on our performance in every quarter. It’s certainly a start and something to work from moving forward.”
Mainland’s defensive unit caused plenty of problems for their Blast opponents while at the other end of the court, Jessica Allen was a stand-out in the shooting circle, netting 39 from 46 attempts at goal, for an MVP performance.
Fletcher said there was still plenty to work on despite netting a comfortable 20-goal win.
“We’d really like to start our next game with that intensity that we brought to the second half of the game.”
Both teams settled from their first centre passes, but it was Mainland to make the first break, capitalising on a few wayward Blast balls and Allen converting for a 4-1 advantage.
The visitors levelled the scores before the Mainland combination of Lily Marshall and Georgia Woollett found their groove late in the spell to limit the Blast’s opportunities.
At the other end of the court Ashleigh Poi and Allen forged strong links on attack, setting the tempo as the hosts opened a 13-8 lead at the first break.
It was more of the same in the second quarter as Mainland’s defensive unit continued to build, the long reach and strong rebounding from Woollett putting the Blast under pressure, as the red-and-blacks raced out to a 10-goal buffer.
Marshall and captain Lily Fletcher worked hard out front while Woollett had Blast shooter Harriett Cuttance tightly marked in the circle as Mainland pushed clear for a 27-13 halftime lead.
The Blast made one change late in the half with Grace Southby coming on for Cuttance in the goal shooters bib, but the visitors were unable to stem Mainland’s scoring.
More changes came after the main break for the Blast with captain Kiana Pelasio moving from goal attack to shooter and Southby into the attacking role. Kate Hartley took her defensive skills from the wing into the circle with Meg Timu coming on at wing defence.
It proved to be Blast’s best quarter, 12-12, as the defensive duo of Hartley and schoolgirl Emilie Nicholson started to pick up ball, the latter grabbing an intercept and rebound.
But trailing 25-39 heading into the final spell, the accumulative defensive pressure through court from Mainland saw the hosts regain control as they dominated the quarter. Mainland made one positional change heading into the fourth stanza with Grant coming out to goal attack and Allen moving to shooter, in what was a seamless switch for the duo.