STAR PAIRING GOOD AS GOALS
OCEAN Grove believes star goalers Rebecca O’Neill and Madeleine White can form “formidable” pairing in Bellarine netball this year.
O’Neill and White stepped out together for the second time this season on Saturday and helped the Grubbers to a 29-goal victory over Queenscliff.
White finished with 27 goals from 37 attempts and O’Neill had a 100 per cent conversion with 21 in the 58-29 win.
Coach Nikki Cooke said she expected the duo would become an “extremely” strong combination.
“They’re a great combination and Maddy’s strength and defensive pressure as well out of goal attack is a real asset to our side,” Cooke said.
“Obviously Bec is a really experienced player — an exstate league player.
“As time goes on and we settle the combinations out the front of them … then hopefully they’ll become a formidable pair.”
Ocean Grove took control with a 19-7 lead at quarter-time and led by 17 goals at the final change.
The victory improved its record to 3-2-1, but Cooke said the score did not reflect Queenscliff’s competitiveness.
“It was quite tight in the first quarter — it felt like that anyway — and probably did open up a little bit in the second, which gave us the opportunity then in the third quarter to change some stuff up and try some new combinations,” she said.
“It was good to have our attacking circle — our full complement of goalers back. It was good to get some more players out there and try some new combinations.”
In other matches, Modewarre defeated Portarlington 66-31, Ruby Watson put through 46 goals in Geelong Amateur’s 59-39 victory over Barwon Heads, Drysdale beat Anglesea 64-22 and Torquay accounted for Newcomb 77-26.