Injury-plagued Steel struggle

Injury-plagued Steel struggle

An injury-ravaged Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel struggled on the opening day of its preseason tournament in Queenstown, losing both games.

The Steel’s ranks have been depleted with niggling injuries to key players, including Silver Ferns Liana Leota and Leana de Bruin, who both sustained them during the Silver Ferns recent tour to the UK, Wendy Frew, Natasha Chokljat and Sheryl Scanlan.

Coach Robyn Broughton’s SOS call was answered by Steel training partner Kendall McMinn, Southland NPC representative Whitney Areaiiti, Otago’s Louise Thayer and the team’s ever-reliable physio Jenny Ferguson, who captained its Southern Sting predecessor to victory in the 2007 National Bank Cup.

While the situation was certainly not ideal, it was a valuable opportunity for them to seize.

“It’s a great opportunity for them to go out there and step up,” Broughton said. “These young ones will learn that it is a mental game and rushes of blood to their head just don’t work.”

Despite their brave efforts, the disruption was obvious on court with the Steel unable to assert any dominance over its fellow ANZ Championship rivals and struggling to maintain flow due to the unfamiliar combinations.

Tonight’s match-up against the Firebirds was a one-sided affair, with the Australian outfit growing in confidence as the Steel’s woes were exposed.

Propelled by a formidable defensive effort and boasting four Australian internationals on the court, the Firebirds scorched out to a 14-5 led by the first break – in contrast, the Steel succeeded with just three goals in 14 minutes.

“I think our shooters need to step up … I know they were inexperienced feeders but they just weren’t available to them,” Broughton said.

Despite five bib changes, the Firebirds continued to control the second quarter to rack up a 30-14 advantage at halftime.

The Steel fared better to draw the third stanza 13-13, before succumbing in the final spell 7-12.

Thayer put in an admirable performance at goal keep, complementing the steady presence of Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit while McMinn and Hayley Saunders also impressed in the midcourt.

In its first clash, the hosts were toppled 59-42 by the Central Pulse, trailing 11-17, 20-33 and 31-42 at each spell.

The Pulse later reignited its rivalry with the Canterbury Tactix and last year’s two bottom-placed teams produced a tightly-contested battle. Clinging to a slim advantage after each quarter, the Pulse asserted its dominance in the final spell to earn its second win of the day, 55-49.

The Firebirds earlier accounted for the Tactix 58-47 after leading 30-18 at halftime.

Results: Firebirds beat Tactix 58-47, Pulse beat Steel 59-42, Pulse beat Tactix 55-49, Firebirds beat Steel 55-34.

Ends

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