Netball / Ma'aleh Adumim fends off spirited fight by Tel Aviv

Ma'aleh Adumim defeated Tel Aviv 29-20 Tuesday to go ahead on points over undefeated Ra'anana in the Israel Netball standings. Playing in Ma'aleh Adumim, the Tel Aviv ladies put up a gutsier fight than in their previous meeting, when they were on the receiving end of a 23-goal drubbing.

Tel Aviv's improved defense kept the match a low scoring affair in the early going. However, the hosts broke out of a 4-4 tie to start the second quarter and ran up the score to 22-9 by the end of the third. Tel Aviv, behind its leading scorer Lauren Isaacs, put up a strong fight in the final period and had a small rally, but ultimately could not keep Ma'aleh Adumim, led by Nat Zilber, down.

The loss was Tel Aviv's second in six days, having fallen on the road in Modi'in to Jerusalem Mercaz last Wednesday by a close score of 18-14. Tel Aviv actually held a three-goal lead after the opening period, but Jerusalem rebounded to take the lead for good in the second quarter.

Modiin will host first-place Ra'anana on Sunday hoping to give the favorites a run for their money.