Dragonflies face Pearls in final

The Avatiu Dragonflies premier grade netball team will meet the Titikaveka Pearls this weekend for the 2010 club netball season grand final.

The Dragonflies disposed of the Takuvaine Red Divas 58-32 in their sudden death match on Saturday but Avatiu’s execution was less than convincing.

And they will need to vastly improve and tighten up their game if they are to take it to the classy Pearls in the grand finals.

It certainly wasn’t the Dragonflies best performance and no doubt a win was the only thing on their minds.

The Dragonflies were up 16-8 in the first quarter and had the game in the bag at 32-18 at half time.

And despite a number of changes and their best efforts Takuvaine just couldn’t find the intensity they are so known for as Avatiu notched up the points 45-25 after the third quarter before eventually winning 58-32.

Both the Red Divas and Dragonflies struggled to get out of first gear in the early stages of the game with Avatiu giving away possession on more than one occasion while Takuvaine shooters just couldn’t sink the ball.

But once the two sides settled into the match, Takuvaine shooter Teiva Joseph found her groove.

But Joseph and fellow Takuvaine goal attack Jean Nichols were heavily defended by Avatiu’s star defending duo of Nana Samuela and Edith Nicholas who worked tirelessly through the whole game.

Together the pair unsettled Takuvaine’s shooters, took rebounds and even scored a couple of intercepts.

But the stand out player for Avatiu was certainly their 15-year-old shooter Mati Toru who has played outstandingly through the whole season.

The youngster is set to celebrate her sweet sixteenth this week and that will no doubt boost her already high confidence even more when she faces Titikaveka’s defenders Luciana Matenga and Micheyla Matapo – arguably the islands best defenders.

Toru was ably supported in the shooting circle by veteran Curly George.

The Avatiu shooters managed to keep former national netball representatives and Takuvaine defenders Tania Kermode and Sebon Nicholas at bay with some great movement seen the two shooters mid to late in the game.

Takuvaine’s teenage mid court player Moana Taio was impressive again this week and was a workaholic for her team in both defending and attacking.

However Avatiu struggled to find their groove at the centre court once again until Merielle Winchester put on the centre bib.

Sebon Nicholas and the Takuvaine squad can be proud of their efforts this season as they hang their bibs up while Avatiu have one week to polish up their game before they head to the netball grand finals this Saturday against current champions Titikaveka.

While Avatiu haven’t beaten Titikaveka this season – they certainly gave the Pearls a scare in their knock out game and even lead that game for a short while.

So, there is no reason the Dragonflies can’t sting the dominating Pearls in the grand finals or will the Pearls be too much of a class act?

Find out at next week’s highly anticipated grand final.

Netball semi finals results: Premier grade Avatiu 58 vs Takuvaine 32, reserve grade Avatiu 47 vs Ngatangiia 52, open 2 grade Titikaveka 18 vs Ngatangiia 11, open 1 grade Takuvaine 44 vs Avatiu 24, under 19 grade Takuvaine 30 vs Avatiu 22, under 16 grade Titikaveka 24 vs Ngatangiia 17, under 14 grade Avatiu 12 vs Takuvaine 8, under 12 Titikaveka 9 vs Takuvaine 3, under 10 grade Takuvaine 8 vs Ngatangiia 4.