Finals lesson for under 17s
Saturday, Preliminary finals
Under 17s Qualifying Final: Sale 44 defeated Drouin 25
Having finished third on the ladder, the U17s have a double chance at making it into the grand final.
They played in the qualifying finals on Saturday at Morwell. Both times in the home and away season, Sale had beaten Drouin but it was finals now and the girls were not going to give up easily.
Sale started strongly and pushed out to an early lead so Drouin were playing catch up from early on.
In the mid-court, Ruby Pratt (WA) was determined to give her team reason to keep going as she fought for possession and intercepts.
Also in the mid-court, April Bethune (C) was taking intercepts and playing a hard and fast game. These two girls fed the goalers well and stood strong on the ring.
Inside the ring, Taylah MarshIrwin found her groove and used her height well against even taller defenders. She and Jemyma Leishout and Cassie Shaddock (GAs) worked hard to get the ball in the ring, but unfortunately struggled to rebound against the tall Sale defenders.
It really was a game of defenders with the Drouin girls fighting and pushing hard against taller Sale goalers.
Chelsea De Riter’s pressure over the ball and quick hands stole several key intercepts, while Natalie Sloan applied a strong one-on-one defence, keeping her player out of the ring when possible. The defenders (including Lateisha Edwards in WD and later Jemma Shaddock) were key in many turnovers, with Drouin getting the ball but struggling to convert.
The girls played a hard game and knew they would have to find a little something extra to beat Sale.
This time they didn’t, but they know now the pressure and intensity of finals netball and will most certainly “bring it” next weekend.
Awards: Ruby Pratt and Natalie Sloan
Sunday, Elimination finals