Free-scoring Massey start season sharply with two big wins

NETBALL: Massey A1 have been keeping the scorers busy in the opening two weeks of the premier club competition.

Massey had two big wins to start the season, beating Manukura Red 74-38 at the Arena on Tuesday night. They beat Rāhui 71-57 in week one.

Massey coach John Atkins was pleased after two good early wins.

“Our attack end is going well,” he said. “We’re scoring a good amount of goals”.

“We’ve got experience in the team and I think that was coming through and showing.”

He said their defensive end was working well and getting the ball to the other end of the court.

Massey led 35-17 at halftime and were helped by Manukura losing key defender Tahlia Runga to injury.

Atkins, who is also an assistant coach for the Central Manawa team in the Beko League, said their shooters had been doing well in the first two weeks and shot at about 90 per cent on Tuesday

Manukura Red and Manukura Black were in the unfamiliar spot of both having two losses from two games, but Atkins said they would come back strongly as the season went on.

Defenders TJ Alexander had been Massey’s standout player in the first two weeks and had been helped by fellow defender Theresa Hunt.

Shooters Emily Autagavaia and Keaghan Seymour have both been sharp and Autagavaia shot 34 from 35 on Tuesday night.

In other games, Feilding A1 made it two wins from two outings, beating Manukura Black 61-40.

Rāhui had their first win, beating first-round winners College Old Girls 58-54. College gets a bonus point for a close lose.

In the premier reserve competition, Massey Old Girls beat Massey A2s 57-47, Feilding A2 beat College Old Girls A2 45-41 and Feilding Reserves beat Rāhui Reserves 65-32.

At the end of the first round, the bottom team in the premier grade will play the top team in the premier reserve grade to decide who qualifies for the second round of the premier grade.