Saroa force draw with neighbours

The National Sports
Tauruba goal shooter Joyce Lalai beating her Gomore opponent to the ball during a Rigo netball tournament at Gomore village in Central on Monday. Tauruba won 12-11. More than 40 teams across the district are competing in senior and junior divisions.

By JACK AMI
GOAL defenders Aishar Robert and Selena Mareva helped Saroa force a 14-14 draw with neighbouring Kwalimurubu village in the A Grade of Rigo Netball Association’s district tournament at Gomore village in Central yesterday.
Down 5-8, Saroa had to reshuffle its midcourt personnel to match the opposition in the second half.
They played much faster than Kwalimurubu and capitalised on errors to score vital points which helped force the draw.
Robert and Mareva worked overtime against Kwalimurubu’s shooting combination of siblings Kila and Lulu Norefa.
At the other end of the court, Kwalimurubu defenders Wendy Sebo and Suy Keina were under pressure from Saroa shooters Seville Amon and Ruth Geno, who scored vital points.
In the midcourt, Saroa’s Margaret Areni, centre Donai Mara and Nadia Hendy kept up with the pace of Kwalimurubu’s Angelina Norefa, Judy Kwalimu and Ruth Gini.
In the other matches in Pool A, Boregaina continued their winning streak by beating Segkode 18-8 and Hula triumphed over Matairuka 16-9. Both winners remain unbeaten after three games each.
The A Grade has three pools with 21 teams, B Grade 20 teams and masters 16 teams, for a total of 57 sides in the senior divisions. The juniors, Under-17s and U21s, tip off their matches today.

Saroa goal defender Aishar Robert in action in the tournament yesterday.

Meanwhile, association president Iammo Launa praised Gomore leaders and the community for their support as host village.
“A lot of raw talents will be identified and may be considered for selection especially in the junior divisions,” she said.
“This is huge for netball in Rigo as we continue to develop players from across the district.”
Launa tipped off the tournament on Monday in the presence of Netball Papua New Guinea president Ulato Avei, legend Veitu Diro and Rigo MP Lekwa Gure.
Gure and the district development authority handed over K10,000 to the tournament organisers.
The tournament ends on Friday.