The Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu is taking all the positives she can out of Tuesday night's 50-44 loss to the Australian Diamonds in Christchurch in the first test match of the Constellation Cup.
Bailey Mes of the Silver Ferns and Laura Geitz of the Diamonds fight for a ball during tonight's match in Christchurch. Photo: John Davidson / Photosport
Taumaunu said she was satisfied with the performance of several of her young players, shooter Bailey Mes in particular, in the loss to Australia.
It was the first time New Zealand and Australia have met since the Diamonds won the final of the Netball World Cup - with a score of 58-55 - in August.
Taumaunu conceded her side's high turnover and error rate was to blame for the defeat and would need to be rectified before the next Test match.
However she was pleased to continue to blood several young squad members into the international arena and says 26-year-old Mes, who has converted from a mid-courter to a shooter, was a standout, making 24 of her 28 shots on goal for an 86 percent success rate.
"She (Mes) keeps growing and one of the focusses of this series is to keep those players growing," Taumaunu said.
Mes has become the Silver Ferns premier shooter in the absence of front-line player Maria Tutaia, who is being rested for the series.
The next game of the cup will take place in Auckland on Thursday, and the final two games of the tournament will be played across the Tasman.
