The New Zealand Under -21 netball team proved their status as the world champs in their age group after defeating Samoa 85-19 during the Digicel Punjas International Youth Netball Series yesterday.

With their long, quick passes and strong defence, the Kiwi girls were too strong.

Coach Kiri Wills was happy with how Samoa put up a fight in the early stages of the match.

“It was better than expected. I thought Samoa started really well but they just fell off the pace,”Wills said.

“If they can work on they conditioning and they will be a lot stronger going to Botswana and you never take any game lightly. I just felt we pull away at the end.”

Goalshooter 16-year-old Aliyah Dunn took every chance provided to her in the third and fourth quarter .

“Dunn is one of our young ones and this is her first time playing for NZ in netball, she also played basketball,”Wills said.

“She came to Fiji to participate in the FIBA Oceania Championships last year, she is really strong and a good shot with great hands.

“Australia will be a lot tighter on us so we have to be prepared for that.”

Wills said Australia plays a physical game so they have to be really patient and to do their preparation work to get the ball.

Meanwhile Samoan coach Lee Edwards was happy with her girls’ performance.

“We had our own targets when we came out to play the No.1 in the world and I think we achieved some,” she said.

Edwards said NZ played really well but they were looking at the bigger picture which is Botswana in July.

“So we are making a lot of changes in every game and on every quarter since we still haven’t announced our final squad. We’re using this as an experience for the girls to play some top countries and hopefully keep building up,” she said.

She said they had youth on their side with three players just 16-years-old.

“But we will improve on our combat and strategy before the next few games against Fiji and Australia,” Edwards said

In the first quarter NZ took an 18- 9 lead before running away with the game in the second quarter 39-10.

In the third quarter Samoa had no answer to some accurate passing from NZ who won the quarter 64- 15 before winning the match 85-19.

New Zealand play Australia and Fiji face Samoa today.

Edited by Osea Bola

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