Inverleigh lifts to seize win in final quarter

INVERLEIGH coach Steph Burns praised her side’s team performance in tough conditions after keeping its finals hopes alive with a tight win over Geelong West Giants.

After a tight encounter with multiple lead changes, it came down to the last quarter with the scores locked at 34-34 at three-quarter time.

The Hawks held the nerve and ground out a 47-45 result to improve to seven wins and seven losses.

For the Hawks, Vanessa Finley McDonald shot 33 goals, while Burns added 14, and Naomi Maaka was the topscorer for the Giants with 38.

“It was really good (team performance), we knew the Giants were going to be tough, they have a lot of potential,” Burns said.

She was pleased with her team’s win considering the windy conditions.

“They were tough conditions, the wind was always going to be an issue, but we adjusted and held our nerve and got the win,” she said.

Burns also said she trialled different combinations.

“We were running a lot of fresh legs, we are lucky to have a lot of players who can play in multiple positions,” she said.

Asked what lifted her team over the line, Burns said: “It was probably our ability to convert our turnovers.

“We did that really well, it was also our defensive pressure that forced the Giants into mistakes.”

The Hawks are two wins outside the five, but she said her side was looking towards finals action.

“We need to play our best netball in these last few games, and we’re not going to take our foot off,” she said.

Burns commended Melissa Whyte on her performance, saying she “did her job really well and put a lot of pressure on”. BELL Post Hill players thought they had by a goal, only for the game to finish tied after the scores were rechecked after the game.

Winchelsea was forced to rejig its attacking end after young goaler Ebony Berg sustained a knee injury through the week.

Ex-Winchelsea junior Tahlia Berg returned, slotting seamlessly into wing attack and found goalers Eliza Cole and Kendall Carracher with ease.

Marnie Bruce and Sara Groves proved an impenetrable force through the defensive end of the court with their dictating defence.

The game itself was of great standard with the lead changing on many occasions. EAST started strongly, going into the quarter-time break 12-4 up, a lead it built on.

Emily Rankin (35) and Bonnie-Lee Burley (16) combined well in goals, helped by Burley’s strong holds and Rankin’s continual movement.

They were well supplied by pocket rocket Ruby Michell and Nikki Everist, whose pace and quick decision-making gave them ample supply.

In defence, Simone Langenhuizen played a tight checking game and was judged the best player.

For Anakie, even with accurate shooting from Jady Brkic (22), the deficit proved hard to close. Roos captain Bridget Byrnes was again steadfast in her defence.

Through the mid-court, Cassandra Richmond and Sarah Gilcrist continued their good form, offering swift passing and position making.

Richmond was a standout, with her feeding to Brkic, affording numerous scoring opportunities. CORIO shooter Cassidy Nelson proved this difference in the goal circle with 55 goals.

Tireless work from Shayna Poto in goal attack allowed the ball to move swiftly through the Devils’ attacking third, and Holly Milsome created many defensive turnovers.

Corio goal keeper Eliza Kramer performed to her potential, playing a pivotal role in limiting scoring opportunities in the talented Thomson attacking line.

Thomson was slow from the start, allowing Corio to get a bit of a jump through the first half of the quarter.

Thomson’s goaling combination of Errin Lang (27) and Elley Heard (32) worked hard to create opportunities and shot consistently to bridge the gap, being down 29-36 at halftime.

A change in the defensive ring between Lauren Conroy and Alexandra Drake proved a positive change for the Tigers, allowing midcourt players Shannyn Leach and Jo Couch to intercept many passes. WERRIBEE welcomed back Amanda Wilson so she could pay her respects in honour of late club great Mick O’Malley.

“I would love nothing more than to pull the dress on this Saturday for Mick,” Wilson said.

The Centurions dominated the first quarter, scoring eight goals to two, with Wilson and Gemma Grimmond shutting down everything that came near the circle, while in attack Nicole Stewart, Kyrstie Smith and Jenni Rothery worked the ball with precision and patience into the goalers, where Ellie Tubbs and Jacinta Savoury stood strong.

North Geelong’s Shae Rowbottom and Ashlee Roach worked hard in attack to keep North in the game. Chelsea Websdale came off at halftime with an injury that changed the Magpies’ game plan.

Brittany Chapman played a strong game in defence and Stephanie Hillman moved into the goal circle and performed well. A CLOSE game from the first whistle. The mid-court pressure provided by Belmont’s Courtney Leith, Grace Chow and Meghan Stickland forced the Tigers to slow down their attacking drive, especially into the standout height of Lauren Ford in the Tigers’ ring.

The Lions were able to keep pace until three-quarter time.

Maddison Iredell was influential in the Lions’ ring, providing plenty of attacking drive in and out of the ring, and opened up space for the midcourters to feed it in.