Star may be close to top title double | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

A national netball title last year and a national volleyball title this year ... it's a possibility for Hawke's Bay's Star Scott.

Her Napier women's volleyball team is three wins away from the division two title at the national volleyball club championships which end in the Bay tomorrow. A member of the Manawatu-based Tu Toa netball side which won the national secondary schools title last year, Scott, 19, impressed with her shot selection on the post when she came off the bench for Napier in their 3-0 win against South Island's Eastern at the Hastings Sports Centre yesterday. Napier won the first set 25-9, the second 25-13 and the third 25-21.

"We lost our way a bit in the third set but I'm glad we won in three just in case a countback is required to determine the semifinalists," said Napier stalwart Maria Barnett. "It was a solid team effort against Eastern. Star (Scott) did well off the bench and Gemma (Carlisle) produced good shots to get some vital points."

Providing Napier beat Tauranga this morning, they will earn a semifinal berth without a countback.

Although Napier captain Jo Lucas, who collected a knee injury the previous day, was limping around last night Barnett was confident she would take the court. Manukau South B and Hamilton are the other division two women's semifinalists.

All four top seeds in the men's and women's division one sections at Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena remain unbeaten with four wins each. Defending men's champions Shirley of Christchurch, including former Taradale High School player Simon Petersen, had a titanic battle with seventh seeds Playaz of Auckland.

Shirley were 2-1 down when Warren Smith substituted himself on as a setter and sparked a turnaround for his team which went on to win 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12. Third seeds Sparta White of Auckland beat Playaz 3-1 (25-22, 25-14, 23-25, 25-23) thanks to spectacular spike serving and power spiking from Sam Tui'vai.

In the other pool, last year's beaten finalists Harbour Raiders beat Scorpions A of Dunedin 3-1 and Tauranga Raiders 3-0 while fourth seeds South Auckland beat Scorpions A in five sets.

In women's division one pool A, top seeds Manukau South had comfortable 3-0 wins over Harbour Raiders A and Massey while third seeds NZIS also had relatively easy wins - 3-1 against Harbour Raiders A and 3-0 against Tauranga Raiders.

In pool B, fourth seeds Tauranga had impressive 3-0 wins against Sparta A of Auckland and Westforce of Waitakere and remain the only division one team not to drop a set in the tournament to date. Second seeds Scorpions A beat Sparta A 3-1 and Westforce 3-0.

After the first round robin in the men's second division Hamilton were unbeaten with four wins and Harbour Raiders B second with three wins.