Nelson might not have been a happy hunting ground for the EasiYo Tactix but coach Leigh Gibbs has endorsed the region’s supporters.
Following Sunday night’s 64-55 defeat to the Perth-based West Coast Fever, the first time Trans-Tasman netball had been played in Nelson and just the second time the ANZ Championship has been played here too, Leigh says it is important to continue a relationship right across the Mainland region. “I’m still proud of what we put out there, even though it wasn’t the result we were after, we just showed some fantastic netball and I’m sure the crowd enjoyed it,” she says. “I want every young girl that’s watching here today in the Tasman area to want to be a Tactic.”
Both 2013 ANZ Championship fixtures played in Nelson sold out and Leigh says the noise was from noticeable from the court. “The cheering, the enthusiasm and it was helped by the MC. It was a great atmosphere and it would’ve been fantastic if we could get more in.”
On the court, Leigh highlighted a weak second quarter as being the difference between the two sides. Having trailed 19-17 after the first quarter, the Tactix were outscored 13-8 in the second. “We turned over too much ball and we were scoring so well in that first quarter that it was like we hit a wall.”
With only two wins on the board this season, she was still hopeful the side could bank a few more to end the season on a high note. “We definitely don’t want to settle on the two but we’re just looking at the game ahead.”
