AUSTRALIA’S second half surge proved too much for their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand as the Aussies went on to win their match up 56-40 in the Digicel Punjas Youth Netball Series at the Vodafone Arena in Laucala Bay, Suva.
Both teams were level at 13-all at the end of the first quarter but New Zealand found their rhythm in the second quarter and slowly moved away from the Aussies to secure a four-point margin going into halftime.
Defending U21 World Champions New Zealand led Australia 28-24 at the break but Australia came to life in the third quarter and from then on it was sort of a one way traffic going the Aussies way.
The Kiwis could do nothing but watch the Aussies running rampant and breaking through their defence which that they held intact in the first half.
With the Kiwi’s defence crumbling and caught on the backfoot, the Aussies capitalised with some well-placed passes that was finished off by their anchors Emma Ryde.
Australian coach Tania Obst said they made a few costly mistakes in the first half but they addressed it at half time and came out firing in the third quarter.
“We were a lot happier in the third quarter and I think it 14-1 at one stage, we had few work to do in the last quarter as well but I was pretty pleased we finished the game,” Obst said.
Meanwhile her Kiwi counterpart Kiri Wills said their goal was to test all their players against Australia it seemed some handled it better than others.
“Our shooting in the second half let us down abit, but that’s their job and they didn’t do it,” Wills said.
She said the defenders had done their part and if their shooter would have gotten the missed shots in they would have had a chance against the Aussies and that was something they would be working on.
