Comfortable win for Hamilton for NZ title

Dunedin shooter Ella Mackenzie sparks the attack against Christchurch in Auckland on Saturday....
Dunedin shooter Ella Mackenzie sparks the attack against Christchurch in Auckland on Saturday. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Hamilton claimed their first national title with a comfortable 48-38 win over Counties-Manukau in the final of the New Zealand open championships in Auckland on Saturday.

They dominated through the middle two quarters and were unbeaten at the tournament.

Shooters Kate Taylor and Ivana Rowland were influential in the shooting circle.

Taylor drilled all 32 of her attempts and Rowland had a perfect shooting performance in the final as well with 16 goals.

Counties missed just one shot in an outstanding display of shooting from both sides.

Hamilton were also well served at the defensive end where the trio of Oceane Maihi, Holly Fowler and Charlice Bryce did an excellent job of forcing turnovers.

Cambridge ended a strong tournament in style to clinch third place with a 53-49 win over Auckland.

Dunedin had to settle for eighth in a commendable result for the South Islanders.

They were coached by former Silver Ferns coach Janine Southby. She was impressed by her young charges, who had an average age of just under 20.

They were pipped 39-38 by Tauranga on Friday and were beaten 50-42 by Christchurch in the playoff for seventh and eighth on Saturday.

"We were really pleased to make the top eight", Southby said.

"I think for the experience of the group, or lack of experience of the group, it was always going to be a challenge to win games in that top eight.

"But the girls held their own.

"They are still learning how to deal with that pressure so that going forward they don’t make those same mistakes again."

The game against Tauranga slipped away at the end. They did well to rally from a five-goal deficit in the first quarter and had an opportunity to win the game.

"It’s just that inexperience of knowing how to deal with that last 20 seconds when you got the ball on the circle edge, and making sure we’ve got a really strong option to get the ball into a shooting position."

The defensive pairing of Abby Lawson and Holly McRae stood out for Dunedin. Lawson’s experience was an asset and McRae put in some athletic performances at goal keep.

"[Lawson’s] experience made a massive difference. She’s great leader, really humble, and just really worked hard to help grow the players around her.

"And Holly McRae had a really good week as well.

"She really contested the ball, even against the tall shooters that she was playing against."

"She has great elevation, and she certainly did a lot of work on pressuring the shots and getting rebounds."

Midcourter and captain Poppy Kilworth consistently played well.

"She is just a really gutsy, determined player who likes to just go hard. She did a really good job in her second year on the team."

At the attack end, Grace Southby and Ella Mackenzie shot accurately, "particularly at the back end of the tournament".

"Across the board, all of the players certainly showed what they’re capable of. The challenge now for them is to take the experience and learn from it and be better next time."