Rebels book spot in final

By MARTHA DERUAGE
THE Rebels put up a strong fight to beat the Mermaids 54-51 in the Port Moresby Netball Association preliminary final at the Rita Flynn Indoor Complex on Saturday.
Rebels coach Oti Lasagavibau commended her players, saying they executed their game plan well.
“Our defence was spot on,” she said.
“Susan Wellington and Serena Ovia did well to put pressure on the opposition. Our shooters were more than 50 per cent accurate.
“Captain Lua Rikis was about 80-90 per cent accurate.
“Rosa Seseare was about 60-70 per cent accurate.
“I am really happy with the result. I thank the Lord for being by our side.
“I’d also like to express my gratitude to our sponsor City Pharmacy for all their support.”
The Rebels started of strong, shooting out to a 15-11 lead.
Consistency saw the Rebels take a 28-25 halftime lead.
Mermaids did all they could to catch up in the third quarter, but the Rebels maintained a 44-38 lead.
Rikis was pleased with the outcome, saying it was teamwork that won them the game.
“We worked really hard in the second round, losing only two games and the semifinal against the Sparrows,” she said.
“We are pleased to make the grand final.”
Mermaids coach Richanda Kassman admitted that the loss was not the result the team had expected but said it was a quality match-up.
“Our defenders performed really well, our shooters did all they could,” she said.
The Rebels take on the Sparrows in the premier division grand final on Saturday.