Marist Auckland Waterpolo

27.06.2007 It’s been a clean season so far for our Senior women. However, despite maintaining an unbeaten Ben Simperingham’s team found it tough going particularly against local rivals NorthSport. Both games were tight affairs and ended with small margins. With all overseas players back in town Marist has “launched” a Blue Team for Nationals featuring some of the club’s up and coming young talent.

Last weekend’s Auckland finals saw Marist well on top with the Blue team upsetting Northsport in the semi final by one goal. Marist Red, however, dominated the final winning 14 – 1. 

Marist’s semi final opponent has yet to be found out with QEII or Maranui most likely candidates. The Blue team will be joining the competition on Thursday playing Maranui at 12.50 and QE II at 7.50pm at Sacred Heart.

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18.06.2007 After beating their next closest rivals NorthSport (11 – 9) and QEII (11 – 8) last weekend the Marist senior women have won the minor premiership going into the National finals as top seated team. Read more.

In a hard fought encounter at the Millenium on Friday night NorthSport proved a hard team to crack for a full-strength Marist side that had most of its players back from overseas. It took Marist until the final quarter to seal the win in front of a vocal NorthSport crowd.

Two days later Marist displayed further strength against last year’s runner up QE II at Sacred Heart. Having given all overseas based players a rest a young Marist side took the lead early on. However, QE II kept the margin narrow and locked the score 3 – 3 at half time. In the third quarter Marist turned up the heat racing away to a 11 – 6 lead – too much for QE II to close in.

Marist women have finished their preliminary round unbeaten and are top favourites again for the National Championship played in two weeks in Auckland.

22.05.2007 Missing Mandy Roberts and Sarah Pattison the young Marist side had to work much harder against Maranui than earlier this season when Ben Simperinghams team cruised to a 13 goal margin win over the same club at Sacred Heart. With more reserves on the bench Maranui puit on a much stronger challenge this time and it took Marist until the final quarter to get some clearance.

In Sunday’s match against Harbour City Marist dominated from the first minute on. The home team never found in the game and allowed Marist to score from almost any position.

Marist remains unbeaten and will now face competition leaders NorthSport next Friday eager to maintain a clean record and to claim the top of the table and will host Harbour City for a re-match on Saturday.

18.05.2007 Head Coach Ben Simperingham is carefully optimistic 
about his teams prospects for the weekend despite missing some 
of the key players.
 
"There are a few changes from the team which won in

Christchurch two weeks ago but we are still confident
of coming away from the weekend with maximum points.
These will be our first league matches without
starting center back Mandy Roberts who is going to
live in Australia, we will be looking to junior
Tanisha Watt to fill her shoes in her first senior
games for the club."

"Neither of our opponents have started the season
strongly but we will need to be wary of Maranui
particularly as they were seriously understrength when
they played us at home in our season opener and could
well be a different prospect at home particularly when
we are playing without the services of both Mandy and
senior international and former Maranui player Sarah Pattison (photo) this weekend."