Kiwis crush Aussies to cause upset and go one up
NEW ZEALAND has put behind it some poor recent results and kept their strangehold on matches against Australia played in New Zealand, after winning Test 1 of the Constellation Cup 64-50.
The game started out tight, but New Zealand surged ahead in the second term, turning a one goal quarter time lead into a nine goal half time lead. Although the Diamonds put up a bit of a fightback in the third term, it was not enough as the Silver Ferns powered ahead again in the last quarter to take the comfortable win.
New Zealand had 10% more time in possession, which allowed the Silver Ferns to pick up three more gains and two more intercepts than their visitors. However, Australia finished with one more deflection resulting in a gain than New Zealand did. Australia also had the higher general play turnovers.
Interestingly, the Silver Ferns were the worse contacters, but Australia got pulled up more times than New Zealand did for obstruction.
New Zealand made very few changes to its on court line up, only making one change with a couple of minutes to go in the last quarter.
Maddy Gordon was the star for New Zealand, leading the match for both feeds and goal assists.
Up the other end Kate Heffernan also had a strong game, picking up a game high four gains out at wing defence.
Meanwhile for the vanquished Aussies, neither Liz Watson nor Kiera Austin put up their usually stellar numbers of feeds and goal assists, but Watson still finished with a solid number. Neither of the Australian goal attacks used were very accurate either, both finishing over 60 per cent.
The series now moves to Auckland on Wednesday, before jumping the ditch and coming to Australia.
In the earlier game the result was reversed, as the Aussie Kelpies dominated their Kiwi rivals to win 84 goals to 34.
Australia grew its quarter by quarter score as the match went on, as New Zealand did the opposite.
Credit: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
NEW ZEALAND 17 | 17 | 13 | 17 (64)
AUSTRALIA 16 | 9 | 15 | 10 (50)
STARTING SEVENS
New Zealand
GS: Grace Nweke
GA: Ameliaranne Ekenasio
WA: Kimiora Poi
C: Maddy Gordon
WD: Kate Heffernan
GD: Karin Burger
GK: Kelly Jackson
Australia
GS: Sophie Garbin
GA: Kiera Austin
WA: Liz Watson
C: Paige Hadley
WD: Jamie-Lee Price
GD: Sunday Aryang
GK: Courtney Bruce
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