Tharjini dominates win
TOWERING St Albans goal shooter Tharjini Sivalingam proved a key factor as the Supersaints outlasted St Joseph’s in a 49-36 qualifying final win on Saturday.
Sivalingam, who little more than a month ago completed a record-breaking netball World Cup campaign with Sri Lanka, shot 42 of her team’s goals in the win, continuing her stunning season under the ring despite constant pressure from the Joeys’ defence.
Having missed the middle chunk of the season on national duties, Sivalingam, who was the leading goalscorer from all teams at the World Cup, looms as one of the most important players as the Supersaints look to dethrone powerhouse Newtown & Chilwell.
The two sides will meet again in a second semi-final this Saturday, with the winner going straight through to the GFNL grand final.
St Joseph’s was always in the contest at Kardinia Park, with the score blowing out late as Joeys rolled the dice to chase the win.
But it wasn’t all Sivalingam, with Nyibol Akec and Anger Akec working brilliantly down the court to ensure Sivalingam and Madelyn Gray had enough supply to win the game.
Georgette Paatsch, Tori Honner and Keely Mullen were superb for St Joseph’s.
Georgia Clark shot 20 goals to be the Joeys’ top scorer, while Simone Hickman chipped in with 11.
Joeys co-coach Kirsten Hood said the team would learn plenty from the loss, backing her players to bounce back in next week’s knockout semi-final.
“It was disappointing,” Hood said. “We would have liked to have taken the win. But there’s still positive signs for us, still things for us to work on going forward for next week as well.
“Not all is lost. We are certainly ready and preparing for next week.
“There’s some really simple things that I think we need to make sure we get a bit better at for next week. St Joseph’s 36 v St Albans 49 Goals: Best:
“They’re basic things like making sure our ball use is good, making sure we put it out to our players, away from a contest, chasing up loose balls, just those one percenter-type things that I’d like us to improve on next week.’’
Hood was full of praise for her defenders, who battled hard to contain Sivalingam and her height.
“When you’re playing against a seven-foot goaler, it’s always going to be difficult,” she said. “I thought the girls did a fantastic job, they got enough turnovers for us, gave us enough opportunities.”
COLAC, meanwhile, advanced with a three-goal win over Geelong West in a lightning interrupted clash at Kardinia Park yesterday.
Play was halted a number of times as storms passed through the area, but the Tigers were able to hang tough to record a deserved qualifying final victory.
“It was fantastic to get over the line. It was pretty trying conditions with the game stopped twice for lightning,” Colac coach Steve Lawrence said.
“It was stop-start. It was almost like playing six quarters. It was a great win by the girls, but they stuck with the plan and were able to pull it off.”
Lawrence said it was hard for either team to get momentum in the match with lightning around.
“It was extremely hard for both teams, both with the stops and also the ball being so wet. It was hard to make sure your feet were OK and you weren’t going to be slipping over,” he said.
“Our team just sort of seemed to pull it together at the right time, then we got a bit of break on them. They pegged us back in the last quarter, but we held firm and got the win.”
Lawrence was full of praise for his team’s defence down the court, making it hard for the Giants to get the ball into its attacking end quickly.
“The girls kept working at that and tried to get those intercepts, those touches,” he said.