Stacey Smith Grant claims a pass during her side’s first loss of the season on Thursday night, at the hands of College A. Photo Erin TaskerCollege A may be the youngest team in the Mid Canterbury Netball premier one competition, but their latest win means that they are officially the team to beat.

They came away with a 37-32 win from their top-of-the-table clash with a previously unbeaten United A at the EA Networks Centre on Thursday night, and as a result moved to an outright lead on the points table at the mid-point of the season’s third and final championship round.

It was a game that started off as most expected it would, with the two sides going goal for goal, until United A managed to get a small roll on, only for College A to come back with a roll of their own to lead 9-7 at quarter time.

College extended that lead to five early in the second quarter, and although United got back to within two by half-time, College A weren’t giving them much room to move and weren’t going to give up their lead easily.

Both sides made changes in the third, with United switching Alice Hamill to goal attack and Stacey Smith Grant moving out to wing attack, with Nat Shaw entering the game on defence.

For College A, Dani McArthur moved to the shooting circle to join the steady-as-ever Hayley Tallentire, while Emma Stagg and Grace Adams joined the fray in the mid-court, and it was those changes which had the most impact early on, with College A extending their lead to eight.

United A grabbed a couple back to trail 29-24 at three quarter time, but for United A to make up that deficit, something needed to change.

So United coach Claire Tappin did just that, bringing Anna Edzes back on at goal keep after a quarter off, and it was a move that paid dividends early, with United again getting back within two goals.

But, United made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes late in the game which the young College side took advantage of, and moved back out to a five goal margin by full-time.

College A coach Kaye Kennedy said a big effort from her mid-court and circle defenders meant they picked up a lot of ball before United could get it to the steady Olivia McLennan under the hoop.

“I was pleased with our ball retention and once again Hayley (Tallentire) had a high shooting percentage to finish it off,” Kennedy said.

The night before that game, the College side had gone down 40-36 to St Margarets in the Canterbury secondary schools’ netball competition, SuperNet, in Christchurch.

That was a big improvement on their last outing against St Margarets, though, so Kennedy said it had been a good week.

United A coach Tappin said her team was simply outplayed by a better team.

She felt her side stood up well to College’s strong circle defence, but they made their fair share of errors and were disappointed in themselves.

But it also helped to motivate them.

“We’re stronger for the loss now, rather than in the semis,” Tappin said.

The result meant that with just two games remaining before finals, the young College side were three from three in the final round, while United A, Hampstead A and defending champions Celtic A had two wins each.

Methven A and Mt Somers were still without a win in this round, with Mt Somers suffering the heaviest defeat of the latest round, beaten 41-15 by Celtic A on Thursday night.

Celtic A coach Ange Leadley said her team produced a good, solid 40-minute performance.

“Things we have been working on all came together and the girls really delivered a strong performance,” Leadley said.

Meanwhile, Methven A’s disappointing run also continued, with Hampstead A handing them a 32-23 defeat.

Meanwhile, in premier two, Southern A notched up another big win, downing Hampstead B 51-25, while the night’s other two games were closer affairs.

Celtic B beat Methven B 24-19, while Ashburton College B downed Celtic C 28-22.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 26 July 2019