The DC North East Blaze laid down their premiership credentials as Round 14 of the Victorian Netball League was held across Melbourne on Wednesday night.
Led superbly by Captain Micaela Wilson and Victorian Fury Wing Attack Ella Bayliss, the Blaze kept their push for a place in the Championship top four alive with a narrow two goal victory against the City West Falcons.
The 53-51 win saw the Blaze end the Falcons 12 game winning streak.
“We have had a draw against the Express, a win against the Saints at our home ground on Saturday and now a win against City West, so we are hitting our peak at the right time of the season and that gives us a lot of confidence,” Wilson said.
The Blaze completed a clean sweep of their clashes against the Falcons with a 47-41 win in Division One and a 40-34 triumph in 19/Under.
The Wilson Storage Southern Saints recorded their ninth win of the season, defeating the ACU Sovereigns 57-43.
Saints Captain Leah Percy was at her influential best at Centre, controlling the mid-court and setting the standard for her teammates to follow.
“Tonight we played a really good team game. Everyone was really accountable for their role and their job,” Percy said.
Percy was impressed by the performance of Mardi Cunningham.
“She is one of our youngest players and came on and played really well, but overall it was the best team performance we have played all season, so it was really good.”
The Saints also prevailed in their Division One clash 49-47 while the Sovereigns cemented their place in the 19/Under top four, 57-54.
In the third of the match-ups held at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, the Peninsula Waves defeated the Monash University Storm in Championship and Division One by 31 goals and one goal respectively. The Storm won their 19/Under match 55-43.
The Geelong Cougars 19/Under team registered their 14th consecutive victory, 46-38, against the Melbourne University Lightning at Eagle Stadium.
The Cougars also prevailed in Division One 48-42 while the Lightning cemented themselves inside the Championship top two with an eight goal victory.
Finally, the Boroondara Express hosted the Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels at the Boroondara Sports Centre.
The Express produced double-digit victories in Championship and Division One while the Ariels recorded a narrow 38-34 victory in 19/Under.
Round 15 of the VNL will be held at the SNHC on Wednesday 13 July.
VNL Round 15 Results
Championship
Monash University Storm 37 def by 68 Peninsula Waves
Boroondara Express 62 def 26 Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels
City West Falcons 51 def by 53 DC North East Blaze
Geelong Cougars 45 def by 53 Melbourne University Lightning
Wilson Storage Southern Saints 57 def 43 ACU Sovereigns
Division One
Monash University Storm 38 def by 39 Peninsula Waves
Boroondara Express 61 def 47 Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels
City West Falcons 41 def by 47 DC North East Blaze
Geelong Cougars 48 def 42 Melbourne University Lightning
Wilson Storage Southern Saints 49 def 47 ACU Sovereigns
19/Under
Monash University Storm 55 def 43 Peninsula Waves
Boroondara Express 34 def by 38 Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels
City West Falcons 34 def by 40 DC North East Blaze
Geelong Cougars 46 def 38 Melbourne University Lightning
Wilson Storage Southern Saints 54 def by 57 ACU Sovereigns
