MOUNT BURR 43 D KONGORONG 20
A YOUNG Kongorong lineup faced a strong Mount Burr roster in Round 7 of Mid South East netball on Saturday.
Mount Burr was off to a strong start, shooting the first couple of goals unanswered.
Olivia Dean was on from the first whistle, causing pressure and turnovers all across the court.
Laura Schultz worked hard with the drive and fed with accuracy to her goalies, Lauren Wheeler and Ebony Clark.
Both received a lot of ball under the post, together knocking up 10 for the quarter in tough
conditions.
The Hawks looked nervous and unsettled in the first quarter and the Mozzies took advantage, with a six-goal lead heading into the first break.
The second quarter became a defensive stoush right across the court.
Mount Burr’s Megan Thiele and Kongorong’s Riley Buckingham battled hard down each end, both at times influential for their respective sides through the second term.
The Hawks struggled to settle up in the second quarter, but the mid-court in Ebony Lawson, Rach Perry and Kate Wright were able to get a better look at the ball.
Buckingham and Emily Lightbody worked hard in defence for the Hawks, forcing the Mozzies to play possession netball and work the ball around.
Clark and Wheeler turned it up another gear, where their experience showed and the Mozzies, led by the patience and skill of their mid-court, were able to push their lead out a further 10 at half time.
The Hawks went into the third quarter with work to do and made changes all over the court to try and curb Mount Burr’s run.
Lightbody’s height proved crucial as she was able to get her hands to rebounds and Buckingham lifted her work rate, with some reward coming.
At the other end of the court the Mozzies defenders were also finding their groove, with Thiele and Dean finding hands all over the court and capitalising on any missed shots.
Wheeler became the focal point for Mount Burr and shot nine of her side’s 12 goals for the term as
they worked the ball down the court fast and accurately.
Both teams continued to fight hard defensively up either end to run out the game, but in the end Mount Burr was too strong and claimed a comfortable win.
Thiele and Dean were best for the victors, with Wright and Lightbody best for Kongorong.
