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2004
Draw and Results
Season Wrap Southern Sting cemented its place in netball history and in the history of New Zealand sport when it won an unprecedented seventh title in 2004, despite season-ending injuries to key players early on. Its campaign began on April 18 at home against the Flyers, with a comprehensive 76-29 win. The following week it was in Wellington to play the Shakers. Sting won 61-29 but at a terrible cost. Shoot Tania Dalton snapped the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee in the third quarter and could not play for the rest of the season. However, she remained with the team as coach Robyn Broughton’s assistant. Australian Natalie Avellino, in the team as backup for Donna Loffhagen who had basketball commitments, was brought in as goal shoot and was embraced by the Southland fans. The Sting remained on target despite Dalton’s injury and won its next game against Diamonds at home, 62-42. However, there was another injury problem, with Wendy Telfer going down with a badly sprained right ankle in the second quarter. The injury would see her not be able to play for two games. However, the Sting’s unity and team performance showed through in its next game against the Flames, when it won 58-49. It then carried on beating the Rebels, 57-34, but two tough games remained against the Magic and the Force. Sting won the first against the Magic, 63-60, ensuring its home semi-final advantage, and then went on to lose to the Force 48-60 in one of its worst games. Its semi-final was against the Flames in a repeat of several past years. The Flames had been equal on points at the end of the round robin but Sting was given the home semi-final because it had beaten the Flames in the round robin. Sting did not play at its best, winning the first quarter and then losing the next two, but then neither did the Flames and in the end, Sting was ahead at the final whistle, 55-52. However, the Flames would return to the final, with Netball New Zealand having changed the semi-finals format. The Flames would beat the winner of the second semi-final, the Force, and would return to Stadium Southland yet again. Loffhagen showed her commitment to Sting, flying back into Invercargill on the morning of the final after playing for the Tall Ferns in two tests against Poland that week. There was no sign of tiredness though as she was formidable on the court, justifiably winning player of the match for her performance. Sting took out the final 63-55 in what many fans called the team’s most brilliant performance. After being 9-3 down, the players took off and played superbly and the crowd recognized and rewarded it. At the end of the seventh season of the now National Bank Cup, Sting had a 61-9 win-loss record, had won 95 percent of its home games and had played a part in the revival of the province as well.
Photo Gallery Sting photo galleries are free to use for our loyal fans - Images maybe saved to fans or Schools or personal Computers for private use or as backgrounds. Important - Please Note: all images are Copyright Southern Teamco Limited and use for commercial purposes without permission is strictly prohibited - All inquires should be directed to Netball Southland info@netballsouthland.org.nz
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