SAINTS CLOSE TO TOP THREE
ST MARY’S is within touching distance of the GFNL top three after its 10-goal win against Bell Park on Saturday.
The Saints had plenty of competition from a fired-up Dragons side but scored 15 goals to nine in the last quarter to stamp itself as a team to watch in the back third of the year.
Hannah Van Gemst scored 50 goals at 90 per cent accuracy for St Mary’s, which now finds itself just percentage away from third spot.
Coach Simone Segrave said her star goaler had been a shining light for the Saints in 2019.
“Hannah has had an amazing year, not only the way she is playing but her leadership has really improved our whole club this year,” Segrave said.
“She has really put her hand up and put herself out there a little bit, which is probably difficult for someone of her calibre, but she is amazing.
“She got fed very well, our centre court and goal attacks in Tess Campigli and Laura Cayzer really fed her beautifully and she finished off very nicely. So it has a lot to do with the centre court as well but she was great.”
Bell Park, which has just one win all year, was able to take some comfort from its performance, particularly that of Bree Walton and Mercedes Lewis in the circle, who both shot at 80 per cent accuracy in tricky conditions.
Segrave admitted her team had always been wary of the Dragons and said she was proud of her team for fighting right until the end of the game.
“Even though they (Bell Park) have only won one game they are pretty strong so they can turn it on when they want to,” she said.
“I think their experience is something we never underestimate and they came back at us a little bit but I thought in the last quarter we backed each other up, so we are very happy with that going into the bye.”