NORTH Gambier held the upper-hand in the final stanza, but as Millicent so often does, it found a way to keep its quest for its ninth consecutive Western Border Netball Association A Grade title on track.
The Tigers arguably looked the more assured combination for much of the second semi-final clash at Malseed Park and after Millicent built the first three goal buffer early in the first quarter, the Tigers were quick to reel it in.
Lisa Fyfe, Maddie Whaites, Mel Renko and Amanda O’Shaughnessy put on a defensive clinic, forcing the usually precision Millicent forward line into error.
North showed the necessary patience to work its way through the Millicent defence.
Kaitlin Smith ran hard and was accurate on the feed to ensure the Tigers made the most of every possession.
The scene was set early for the battle between Caroline Davey and Hayley Dunn, with the Saints defender earning some early touches, while Davey used her well times rolls to perfection.
Scores were locked at the first change and the second followed a similar script.
North gained a small buffer, but late in the quarter the Saints pulled it back.
Only a buzzer-beating, long bomb from Davey – who knew the seconds were ticking away – saw North head into the break with a two-goal lead.
The only changes made at the half were on the Saints bench with Lisa Duldig and Audine Bryant swapping bibs and it did see some smoother transition from the titleholders.
Duldig had been the main feeder in the opening half and her stature only grew in the second half with her well timed drives to the circle’s edge.
Keah Lynch was also a key in this quarter as she started to find more ball in range and converted all seven attempts.
Davey, put in a perfect shooting position, converted all 21 second half attempts.
For all the Saints improved efforts, it was North still leading by one at the final change.
Then came that first five minutes of the last as North started making errors where in the first three quarters it had been safe and patient, and Millicent pounced.
The reigning premiers had secured a five-goal lead before the Tigers knew what had happened, but unlike the last time the two met, North rallied.
Millicent, which always put the foot down once setting up a situation like that, again allowed errors to creep into their play and Fyfe produced some individual brilliance to create turnover ball.
North worked its way back to a one goal game late in the quarter when Kimmi Varcoe, who had contested hard all day, got a crucial deflection, which was mopped up her team mates and the final margin sat at two goals when the final whistle sounded.
For the uninterested spectator, the match was a stunning display of physical and skilled netball, but North now has one more hurdle to overcome to earn another chance to unseat the reigning champions.
Denton and Duldig stood tall for four quarters in this contest for the winners, with Dunn and Varcoe creating some good turnover ball, while Bryant was critical in the tense second half, especially the final quarter.
Fyfe was again a standout for North, with Smith now one of the most damaging wing attacks in the competition and Davey as reliable and prolific as ever at the post, shooting 43 of North’s 50 goals.
North will now face East this weekend in a bid for a rematch in the 2017 Western Border grand final.
Final score: Millicent 52 d North Gambier 50
