Defending champions Uni-Albion A beat Uni-Albion B 52-47 in one semifinal at the weekend, and Physed A beat College A 58-54 in the other.
The battle of the Uni-Albion clubs was intriguing, as the B team came in with confidence after smashing Physed A last week.
Both teams got lots of ball to their shooters in the first quarter, but Uni-Albion A’s accuracy was better and they led 16-13 at the first break.
Uni-Albion B came out firing in the second quarter and delivered a defensive masterclass on their way to nine consecutive goals.
The quarter ended with a push from the A team, scoring five in a row, but the Bs lead 26-23 at halftime.
The third quarter was the closest of the game, the A team winning it 13-12, leaving the Bs up 38-36 going into the final quarter.
Uni-Albion A were determined not to throw away their chance of retaining the title. They pulled out all the stops, scoring eight unanswered goals at one stage.
Uni-Albion B fired back with their own run of five, but it was too late.
The other semifinal was another highly anticipated game and drew plenty of eager fans, some of whom were there three weeks ago to witness a 53-53 draw between Physed A and College A.
College had a good start and nudged into a four-goal lead, but Physed quickly responded with three runs of three goals to grab a 17-12 lead at the first break.
The second quarter was close, with College again starting strongly, scoring seven goals in the time it took Physed to score one.
Powered by goal shoot Meleitia Tatupu, who scored 29 of her side’s 31 goals in the first half, Physed bounced back to sit on a seven-goal lead at halftime.
The third quarter was College’s as they punished Physed for any errors.
Goal attack Ella Mackenzie was a rock for them in the shooting circle, shooting nine from nine and keeping cool under the pressure, and College slipped into a 42-41 lead with a quarter to play.
Motivation was high as neither side made the final last year, and both fancied a chance to take the title off Uni-Albion A’s hands.
The teams went goal for goal from the start of the fourth quarter, making for an exhilarating watch for supporters.
Physed crept in front with a two-goal lead, maintaining this until the last five minutes, when they extended it to four and closed out the 58-54 win.
In premier A reserve, Physed B beat St Hilda’s A by two goals, and Southern Magpies beat South Pac Titans Tāiko 69-46.
Physed B will play Southern Magpies for 5th-6th, and St Hilda’s A play South Pac Titans Tāiko for 7th-8th, with the loser dropping to premier B in 2025.
By Hannah Bisset
