It was back to business for VNL clubs and players alike as Round 7 of the VNL got underway on Wednesday evening.
Following a mid-season COVID-19 disruption, sides were fired up to put their best foot forward, making for some cracking contests across four different venues.
Read on to get your Round 7 fix!
CHAMPIONSHIP
CASEY DEMONS 70 def WILSON STORAGE SOUTHERN SAINTS 52
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY LIGHTNING 51 def BOROONDARA EXPRESS 36
PENINSULA 56 def by NORTH EAST BLAZE 67
HAWKS NETBALL 37 def by GEELONG COUGARS 44
After a competitive start to the match, a confident Casey outfit stormed away to a comprehensive 22-goal victory on home turf, handing the luckless Saints their seventh loss of the season.
Though Saints goaler Sinead Lumsden dug deep early, shooting at 100% (7/7) in the first quarter to help tie scores at 15-apiece by quarter time, the Demons were simply too strong, showcasing some enviable defensive pressure and pinpoint passing into club stalwart Emma Ryde to ultimately secure the win.
At Waverley Netball Centre, Melbourne University Lightning (MUL) continued their dream run, defeating Boroondara Express by 15 goals to extend their perfect record in 2021.
While the Express managed to keep pace with the top-of-the-table side in the first half, MUL upped the ante in the third term to power away from their opposition.
Similarly, a late breakaway from North East Blaze saw the fourth-placed side seize an 11-goal victory over Peninsula at Knox Regional Netball Centre.
Though Waves goaler Clare Vearing produced a sublime performance, slotting 42 of the side’s 56 goals, her efforts were no match for Blaze’s ruthless work ethic, headed by trusty midcourters Meg Williams and Chloe Lambert.
A monumental fourth-quarter effort from the Geelong Cougars, courtesy of some clutch defensive efforts from Brooke Allan and Georgette Paatsch, empowered the side to reign supreme over the Hawks.
With both teams neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, the final term proved the difference, as the Cougars maintained their composure and minimised rotations to notch a 7-goal win.
DIVISION ONE
CASEY DEMONS 46 def WILSON STORAGE SOUTHERN SAINTS 40
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY LIGHTNING 35 def by BOROONDARA EXPRESS 51
PENINSULA 40 def by NORTH EAST BLAZE 66
HAWKS NETBALL 54 def by GEELONG COUGARS 61
Clearly inspired by their Championship team’s winning ways, the Demons came up trumps again, this time in a tight, enthralling tussle against the valiant Saints.
While the Demons held onto the lead for most of the match, the Saints were relentless in their counterattack, minimising the margin at every opportunity.
Ultimately however, Casey’s fluency in attack prevailed, enabling them to capitalise at key moments.
A dominant second quarter performance saw Boroondara Express snatch their sixth victory of the season, beating MUL by 16 goals.
With scores level at quarter time, Express goalers Tara O’Grady and Sophie O’Kane led from the front in enabling their side to capture an impressive 9-goal margin by the main break.
From there, Georgie Rodger’s MUL side were forced to play catch up; their efforts regrettably too little too late on this occasion.
The win solidifies Boroondara’s standing in the top four.
It was a resounding victory for North East Blaze, who blew the Waves out of the water early to seal their seventh-straight win of the season.
Blaze midcourt trio Kali Dolphin, Olivia Ellis and Bronwyn Taylor were on song, in providing plenty of drive in transition and defensive pressure to quell the Waves’ momentum.
While Waves’ Sara Duncan and Keighley Starrett fought hard to claw back the margin, Blaze’s silky ball movement and accuracy under the post proved too much to overcome.
Meanwhile, the Geelong Cougars timed their final-term pounce to perfection, in securing a 7-goal win over the Hawks after trailing for much of the match.
Though the Hawks pulled out all the stops and even accumulated a more accurate shooting percentage overall, it was the Cougars who managed to execute their game plan under considerable pressure and take home the four points.
19&U
CASEY DEMONS 17 def by WILSON STORAGE SOUTHERN SAINTS 48
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY LIGHTNING 41 def by BOROONDARA EXPRESS 45
PENINSULA 58 def NORTH EAST BLAZE 40
HAWKS NETBALL 40 def by GEELONG COUGARS 48
Lamentably for the winless Demons, a clinical performance from the Saints resigned the side to a 31-goal defeat.
While the Saints got off to a flying start, showcasing some classy midcourt work, the Demons struggled to find cohesion from the onset. Adding to the home team’s plight was some sensational full-court defensive pressure from the Saints, in restricting their avenues to post.
A mere four goals was all that separated MUL and Boroondara in the end, with the away side emerging victors in a hotly contested battle.
With scores all tied up at three quarter time (33-33), it was the Express who managed to find their spark in the final term sooner, ploughing away to secure a narrow victory.
Over at Knox, the Waves got the job done against a gritty Blaze outfit, in ultimately prevailing by 18 goals.
After a fairly even first quarter, stellar performances from Waves’ Matilda Cook and Olivia Wilkinson empowered their side to pluck a 13-goal lead by half-time, before running away with the margin in the final half.
Jacque De Lazzari’s side didn’t go down without a fight however, as Blaze circle defenders Ally Langdon and Stephanie Calabrese stood their ground and remained resilient, even in the dying minutes.
An 8-goal win for the Geelong Cougars cemented the club’s clean sweep against the Hawks on the night, as sharpshooter Tully Bethune (100% accuracy, 27/27) starred. Ably assisted by teammates Isabelle Gapsas, Rosie Todd and Eliza Cahill, the Cougars’ strong connection in attack caused headaches early on for the top-of-the-table outfit, though Hawks defensive duo Alexandra Stephenson and Gemma Thomas fought valiantly all game.
The triumph marks the Cougars’ second win of the season.
All attention now turns to the final showdown of the round, as Ariels take on City West Falcons across all three divisions at the State Netball Centre tonight, in what promises to be an exciting one!
