EAST GAMBIER 48 d NORTH GAMBIER 36
EAST Gambier remains undefeated after seven rounds of Western Border netball, but the challengers are starting to bridge the gap, with North Gambier managing to do what no other team has really done this season – stop the Bulldogs from getting off to a flyer on Saturday.
The Bulldogs led by two at the first break and three at the main break and it was game on for the first time this season.
The sign of a good side is a team that can absorb the pressure, rise to the challenge and find another gear and that is what the Bulldogs did.
After a quiet first half by her lofty standards, Tenille Gray found more ball and finished with her usual accuracy.
Her eight goals from nine attempts in the third quarter and nine straight in the last saw the Bulldogs continue to widen the gap to end up with a 12-goal victory.
Gray was well supplied by Tarsh McCallum, who resumed her long-running rivalry with Mel Renko and while McCallum certainly had to work for every possession, she used her speed and ability to work in small spaces and then delivered with her usual safe hands to Gray and Amryn Bosko.
Arguably the other key battle was East defender Bo Creek taking on Tigers spearhead Caroline Davey.
North’s scoring machine was still the primary focus of the Tigers’ goal circle and she was arguably the most influential player for the yellow and black on court, but Creek’s efforts were crucial and it could be argued both defensive units were on top given the low scoring contest.
Brianna Walters was the key player linking with Davey, as was Ellen Brown who uses her speed and front cuts to open up opportunities for her experienced shooting team mate.
Walters was also not just important at the offensive end of the court for North, but also worked hard defensively to not allow Emily Hunter to dominate the contest.
Both sides would have taken something out of the contest – North knowing they can match it with the best, given the huge improvement in performance from their Round 2 loss, which was a one-sided contest, while East would be pleased to know when challenged they can find a way to win, even when the match is not on their terms.
WEST GAMBIER 81 d SOUTH GAMBIER 37
Billed as match of the round, based on the Round 2 contest which saw West sneak the victory by 10 goals and also given South’s impressive performance against Millicent last round, the West versus South contest did not deliver.
The Roos were in no mood for another tight contest with the Demons and while the first quarter was high scoring and entertaining, it did see West fight off a few strong challenges from the Demons to end up with a seven-goal advantage.
From that point on it was basically one way traffic with few highlights for the Demons.
The first quarter gave a glimpse into how the match was going to pan out, with State squad goal shooter Sarah Ritter netting 14 from 15 and the teenage goaler continued through the match as a strong target and an accurate finisher.
It was not that the South defenders were not trying to pressure the West goal shooter, but the ball just kept arriving to the attacking third at speed and with very little down-court pressure, making the end scoreline almost inevitable.
Adding to South’s woes was the fact West playing coach Lisa McGregor probably had her most productive shooting game for the season, after allowing Ritter to be the star of the show for much of 2021.
McGregor is always a key in transition and does a mountain of work outside the circle.
She did that again but also showcased her trademark well-timed front cuts and baseline drives and she netted a season-high 31 goals for the game.
Carlee Ransom and Tara Bryant dominated the mid court and they continued to hit the circle’s edge and deliver the ball safely into space, while Nikeisha Facey, Amy Cram and Jade Ritter recovered from a somewhat shaky opening quarter where they gave up 13 goals to the Demons to only give up 24 for the remained of the match, including a miserly five in the final quarter.
Jade Ritter, Cram and Facey all created their share of turnover ball and while tall South shooter Grace Edwards challenged the defensive line and won some important ball and Lara Munro also had her moments to show why she has been earmarked as a player of the future, in the end it was a game to forget for South and a dominant performance from a team that fully intends on being a contender in 2021.
MILLICENT 80 d CASTERTON SANDFORD 33
After looking a little rusty and lacklustre in Round 6, there was a fair chance Millicent would come out all guns blazing against Casterton Sandford on Saturday and while the Cats toughed it out in the opening quarter, as the match wore on, the Saints asserted their dominance.
Both sides made forced and unforced changes throughout the contest as they looked for the best combination but in the end after the first quarter, where Casterton Sandford stayed in touch and trailed by only six goals, Millicent was able to score at will.
Casterton Sandford welcomed back Caeleigh Humphries, which strengthened the defensive end of the court and the young defender was her side’s best as she looked to contest every ball, playing firstly at goal keeper and then moving to the more familiar role of goal defence.
The Cats’ back three also included two more rising stars – Claire Foster on the defensive wing and Ebany Jarrad in the circle – and while it has been a baptism of fire, the trio have shown glimpses of what the future could look like for the Cats.
It was always going to be a tough ask against the classy, slick Millicent frontline which includes Lucy Denton, Demi Verbena, Paige Nitschke and Lisa Duldig – all multiple A Grade premiership players.
Nitschke hit the circle hard and fed with accuracy, while the strong drives of Duldig and the well-timed moves of Denton and Verbena meant the Saints had plenty of scoring opportunities.
Denton made them count, netting 17 from 19 in the second quarter and 15 from 18 in the third before moving out to wing attack.
She was Millicent’s best as she continues to cover for the injured Tabatha Sanderson, while Nitschke’s feeding was outstanding.
