Netball AIS gets stung
22 Aug 2012
The 2012 Australian Netball League started with a bang with the Western Sting coming to the Nation’s capital to play the Australian Institute of Sport on Friday night. The match promised to be an intense affair with the Western Sting boasting 5 current West Coast Fever members. Whilst the AIS team is considerably younger team they are immensely talented with 10 out of the 14 squad members recently named in either the Australian 21/U or 19/U teams.
Even though it was a typically cold winter’s day in Canberra, inside the netball action was hot as the teams opened their 2012 campaign. The teams were matched evenly until the Sting gain a slight run on late in the quarter going into the first break with a 3 goal lead, ably assisted by Nikala Smith shooting at 100%.
With outstanding defence by the AIS backline of Bruce, Weston and Ravaillion, the future of Australian netball fought back in the second quarter to go in to the half time break leading 21 – 20.
The third quarter continued where the first half left off with the teams going goal for goal until mid way through the quarter the Western Sting gained an upperhand finishing the third quarter leading 32 – 31.
Even though the young AIS team showed great composure and determination, the Western Sting maintained their dominance of the second half taking out the match 43 – 40.
