Cementing combinations remain key for the unbeaten Technical side which have their eyes firmly set on the business end of Christchurch’s club netball competition.

They opened round two of the premier netball league with a 50-28 win over newly promoted Lincoln University B at Pioneer Stadium on Tuesday night.

Technical had its franchise players on show including Tactix attacker Gemma Hazeldine, who was this week named in the Silver Ferns trials, and coach Andrea Cousins called on her big game players to help lift them from an indifferent first quarter.

She went for a more settled line in the second spell having been locked 10-10 at the first break with Chelsea Bremner and Jess Prosser coming into the shooting circle, Hazeldine moving to centre and Louise Thayer picking up the goal defence bib.

Cousins was not entirely happy with the performance against a Lincoln University B side which “was very hard to rattle and just kept going hard”.

“I don’t know if it was the week off but the connections were missing at times and we just looked rushed…rushed to get the points on the board but not doing the work required to get them.”

Technical won the second and third quarter convincingly but Cousins said there was plenty to work on in round two.

“This round is about development and still working combinations.  As far as team performances we did put out some polished games in that round but we just have to keep building now towards the important third round.”

Meanwhile, Lincoln University A got all but two of their players on court in a 63-40 win over a Halswell side playing its first premier game of the season.

They led 18-12 heading into the second quarter and put the result beyond doubt after the break, scoring the first nine goals and enjoying a 37-17 halftime advantage.  Tactix mid-courter Hayley Saunders added a new dynamic through the middle for Lincoln University as the centre picked up plenty of intercepts.

It allowed coach Bev Gordon to look to her bench as she made a raft of changes in a match which saw the return of goal attack Sarah Hayman who missed the first round through injury.

Halswell did however win the third quarter – with Harriet Fenwick netting all 10 of her attempts at goal – and restricted Lincoln University A to just eight goals in the spell.

Kereru opened the second round with a convincing score-board victory over St Nicholas but will be looking for improvements in all areas despite the 50-31 win.

Both teams were guilty of a number of unforced errors in an uninspiring opening quarter before changes at either end of the court helped spark Kereru to take control in the second half.

The match also marked the return of mid-courter Terauoriwa Harding who missed much of the first round with an ankle injury and it took some time for connections up front to gel as Kereru led by just three goals at the main break.

Defender Jenna Suckling picked up a number of deflections and intercepts for Kereru while Julianna Naoupu made an immediate impact when coming on at goal shooter, sinking 14 from 15 attempts in the third quarter.

Results:

Technical 50 (Natalie Allen GS1 6/7, Gemma Hazeldine GA1 4/5, Chelsea Bremner GS2 20/24, Jess Prosser GA2 20/22) beat Lincoln University B 28 (Jess Taylor GS 20/36, Kate McLaughlin GA1 6/14, Kelsee Hamilton GA2 2/6).  Quarter scores:  10-10, 22-14, 38-20, 50-28.

Lincoln University A 63 (Elizabeth Hayman GS1 36/47, Kate Shearer GA1 14/18, Sarah Hayman GA2 7/11, S Hayman GS2 4/10, Emma Stiven GA3 4/5) beat Halswell 40 (Harriet Fenwick GS 29/35, Chelsea Corbett GA1 9/14, Poroani Stephens GA2 2/3).  Quarter scores:  18-12, 37-17, 45-31, 63-40.

Kereru 50 (Erin McDuff GS1 14/19, Lauren Robb GA1 5/10, Julianna Naoupu GS2 26/29, Courtney Crammond GA2 5/10) beat St Nicholas 31 (Lily Nicol GS 21/34, Samaria Thompson GA1 4/10, Charlotte Richardson GA2 6/11).  Quarter scores:  7-8, 19-16, 35-26, 50-31.