Just three weeks of the 2017 Victorian Netball League regular season remains before finals, and the battle for top four positions is intensifying.
The Geelong Cougars and Melbourne University Lightning produced the best matches across round 15, with just a few goals separating the teams in all three divisions.
Championship
City West Falcons were one-goal victors over the Peninsula Waves, despite Waves’ shooter Mwai Kumwenda scoring 54 goals.
The Waves led at half-time by three-goals, 34-31, however scores were deadlocked at three-quarter-time, 49-49, with the Falcons running away with a narrow win, 63-62.
City West Falcons’ Jacqui Newton starred in her team’s victory, whilst Monique French was influential for the Waves.
Division One
Nothing separated the Geelong Cougars and Melbourne University Lightning throughout most of their Division One match.
Scores were tied at 16-all at the first break, 31-all at half-time, and Geelong led by the narrowest of margins at three-quarter-time, 43-42.
Opening a small lead, the Cougars were able to claim the victory 57-54.
Rebecca Colwell was a standout once again in her team’s victory, scoring 49 goals in the DC North East Blaze’s 70-40 defeat of Boroondara Express, whilst Jessica Bird was also influential for the Ariels, scoring 45 goals in her team’s four-goal win over the Monash University Storm, 55-51.
19/U
For the second week in a row there was a draw in the 19/U Division, with the Monash University Storm and the Ariels tied at 33-all in a low-scoring match.
It was a game dominated by defence, with both teams producing high-intensity pressure.
The Storm held a lead for the first three quarters, leading by six-goals at the quarter-time and three-quarter-time break.
A strong final term from Ariels shooter Emma O’Shaughnessy brought her team back into the match, however nothing separated the two teams at the final whistle.
The 19/U Division almost witnessed a second draw, with a see-sawing match between the Geelong Cougars and Melbourne University Lightning coming down to the wire.
The lead changed multiple times throughout the match, with the Lightning in front by three at quarter-time, but the Cougars running away by four goals at the main break.
Scores were deadlocked at 29-all at three-quarter-time, with the Lightning regaining the lead to win by just one-goal, 38-37.
