NORTH GAMBIER v MILLICENT
THIS week’s clash at Vansittart Park between North Gambier and Millicent will be another chapter in the battle for second spot and the double chance.
The first time the Tigers and Saints faced off in the inaugural Limestone Coast netball season, the former came out on top.
The difference this round will have North missing its first-choice goal defender in Lauran Norman, while Millicent has star goal attack Demi Verbena back on court.
Last week Verbena emphatically demonstrated her value, not just to Millicent’s scoring power, but the ball movement too.
Verbena’s battle with Mel Renko looms as the clash of the day and will go a long way to deciding the final result.
At the other end of the court, Portia McRae and Edie Easterby are coming off a dominant performance against South.
Lauren Van Eeden returns to that defensive mix and the young defenders will need to be at their best.
They will face North’s Macey Griffith – who is in stellar form – and her combination with Kelly Lockwood has challenged every defensive combination in the competition.
Much will also depend on teams working hard without the ball to slow the opposition’s movement as both sides thrive on speed of ball.
Millicent’s Daisy Tunkin and Lillie Paul and North’s Kaitlin Egan and Brianna Walters love hitting the circle hard and delivering from close range to their shooters.
As such the mid court defence will be critical.
Every on-court match-up looks even so it will take a couple of standout performances to separate the two sides, with Millicent running the tables in a tight clash.
