Nothing could separate South Pacific Titans A and Physed B in the Dunedin senior netball competition on Saturday, the game ending a 46-46 draw.
Titans started strongly and went up 6-0 thanks to goal shoot Kelly Laurence. By midway through the first quarter, Physed B found some momentum of its own, with a run of eight unanswered goals which gave it the lead at the quarter-time break 11-10.
The beginning of the second quarter brought another mini-run from Physed B, aided by the solid hold of goal shooter Bella Masini, new to the Physed colours after a transfer from College this season.
The remainder of the second quarter went almost goal-for-goal. Titans centre Poppy Restieaux came up with a great intercept to break a Physed centre pass and keep her side in the hunt for the win. But it was not enough to take the second quarter and Physed B held the lead at halftime, 24-21.
The tactical awareness and game play of the Titans attacking end came alive in the third quarter, as the connection of Christina Cotton at goal attack and the ever-creative presence of Laurence opened the shooting circle to create ball for themselves. It edged Physed in the third-quarter battle, 14-13, to go into the final break down by two 37-35.
It was a defensive fourth quarter and intercepts and turnovers throughout the court from both teams did not allow for a huge number of goals. But even with the limited ball to the circle, both goal shooters made the most of it. Physed goal shoot Masini finished on 81%, while Laurence, at the other end, finished at 90%, shooting a whopping 35 of her team's 46 goals.
With the scores drawn and less than 20 seconds left in the game, Physed had the centre pass and the advantage, but again the defence of the Titans was too much and the deadlock could not be broken.
In other games College A came out the victor over Southern Tuis in another close tussle, 44-43. Physed A came away with the win against St Hilda's Senior A 64-44, and Southern Magpies won comfortably against Physed Blue, 64-31.
- Bridget Thayer
