Samoa netball

Netball Samoa Association CEO, Rosemarie Esera says representing the national side at home is a bonus for the girls.

“Playing and representing Samoa in front of your home crowd will always be the greatest boost/honor for any team/player/coach,” she said.

Esera adds preparation has been well underway and players have been showing a lot of progress during training sessions.

The young athlete who hails from the village of Vaimoso is expected to shine with her impressive performances in the past few years.

Pose was nominated by Netball Samoa as the “Breakout Star of the year” for her outstanding performance back in 2016.

In 2017, she played in the top line up during the Oceania Qualifiers Tournament, part of the winning team of the National Netball League, Women’s Division and current Shield Holders – St Mary’s Sport Club.

Pose was also part of the Blue team that won Gold for the Upolu Samoa Games Netball Competition.

On the final day of the Oceania Qualifier, Fiji held off a determined Cooks Islands 45-40 in the 1v2 play-off, while Samoa secured their spot with a 55-32 victory over Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Tonga, who has improved considerably across the week, went down in the first game of the day to the invitational team from Netball Northern, 74-43.

The second match was between third and fourth ranked teams, Samoa and PNG; the winner qualifying for NWYC2017 along with Fiji and Cook Islands.

The Fiji Pearls are on a four-match winning streak while Samoa won two games before a heavy loss to Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.

The teams have already met twice this year, with Fiji prevailing during January's Oceania Series and at the Pacific Games in PNG last month.

Coach Kate Carpenter says there aren't many secrets between the two teams.

Captain Mere Rabuka Neiliko was pleased with her team's fighting spirit.

"We knew that they were going to come out firing - like we said earlier, and yes it was physical but then we stood up to that occasion. Because our first aim was the first eight and then we didn't get to that goal so we swim back to saying we haven't finished off yet - got to finish on a high note".

Meanwhile Samoa's two-game winning streak ended with a comprehensive 67-47 defeat by Trinidad and Tobago.

The Fiji Pearls were beaten 59-52 by Wales in the first game of the tournament.

Fiji had led by three goals after the opening period, and actually won three of the four quarters, but a horror second term saw them nine goals behind at half-time, a gap they were unable to close.

Taraima Mitchell was impressive under the hoop, landing all 35 of her attempts at goal.

Next up for the Pacific champions is Uganda this afternoon.

Samoa were outclassed 90-44 by Jamaica first-up and have their best shot at victory in the pool stage tonight against Scotland.

PNG captain Lua Rikis continued her top form leading in front as she only missed one attempt from the 32 shots at goal.

Samoa started the match on a high, as their center court player Brooke Williams used her speed around the court directing play.

She combined well with wing attack Hanalei Temese, giving Samoa goal shooter Julianna Naoupu Laban free balls to put them in front at the sound of the first quarter siren 19-13.