With spirits high following a sensational opening round, VNL teams and fans flocked to both the State Netball Centre and Melbourne Sports Centre (MSAC) for Round 2 of the 2021 VNL season.
Including some terrific come from behind wins, neck and neck contests and even a game-winning buzzer-beater, Round 2 didn’t disappoint.
Get up to date on all that went down during the second round below.
CHAMPIONSHIP
BOROONDARA EXPRESS 51 def by CASEY DEMONS NETBALL 60
NORTH EAST BLAZE 62 def HAWKS NETBALL 53
ARIELS 41 def by GEELONG COUGARS 68
PENINSULA 41 def by CITY WEST FALCONS 69
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY LIGHTNING 69 def WILSON STORAGE SOUTHERN SAINTS 40
Coming off an impeccable display at home last week, Casey Demons’ Championship squad are off to a flying start after defeating Boroondara Express by 9 goals, extending their perfect record.
Despite a slow start that led to a 5-goal deficit at half-time, the Demons remained determined and closed the margin through capitalising on some impressive turnovers.
As Casey Demons midcourter, Emma Thompson asserted, “I think we were all a bit frazzled initially, so we spoke about steadying [at quarter time] and not going 500 miles per hour. We were then able to build over the rest of the match and play our game.”
Thompson also noted the influence of her team’s season opener in building confidence within the squad, noting that “The girls really tried to capitalise on our round 1 match today… and that helped us come out strong.”
Regarded as the “the rock of the group” according to Thompson, Demons captain Emma Ryde was a stand-out in aiding her team’s conversion of 60 goals from 62 attempts.
Casey’s win has them 2-from-2 for the season and leading on the Championship ladder.
Consistent performances from both sides made for a tough contest between Blaze and Hawks on Court 2. While Blaze took out an early 6-goal lead at quarter time, Hawks responded well, narrowing the margin to 1-goal by half time.
Onlookers, situated both on the sidelines and via Netball Victoria’s livestream, were then treated to a highly exciting finale, as play went goal-for-goal.
Ultimately, Blaze were the better team on the night, maintaining their composure in the goal circle and coming away with a 9-goal victory.
Maintaining a comfortable lead for much of the match, Geelong Cougars showed glimpses of their 2019 premiership season in a 27-goal triumph over Ariels.
Though Ariels goaler Olivia Morris shot at 100% accuracy (converting 11/11), Cougars set the tone of the match early and couldn’t be stopped.
Regrettably for Peninsula, a loss against the City West Falcons made it their second for the season.
Despite valiant efforts from Peninsula’s midcourt, courtesy of Jess Hosking and Sussu Liai, Falcons’ slick zone defense caused headaches early on and was a key enabler in their 28-goal victory.
Reflecting on her team’s success, Falcons’ captain Jane Cook was particularly pleased with how well her squad translated their training efforts to game-day performance.
“I think our team did a really good job of putting together on court what we’ve been practicing at training, so long-court flow and putting all the pieces together. It’s been a long time off the court so we’re pretty happy with that performance for round two, and we’ll be building on that moving forward.”
“Last week’s match [a 55-all draw against Geelong Cougars] just fired us up to get out on court, work a lot harder and dig in to find our best performance.”
Regarding stand-out performers, “I think our defenders, Sarah [Szczykulski] and Mel [Oloamanu], did a fantastic job today, turning ball over ball,” said Cook, “Zoe [Davies] also did great out the front.”
Sustaining a steady lead over the course of the match, Melbourne University Lightning (MUL) posted a convincing 29-goal win over Wilson Storage Southern Saints at MSAC.
Dominant performances from MUL’s Rayamer Gourley, Kelsie Rainbow and Claudia Mawson, in tandem with captain Madeline Stewart’s reliable defensive pressure, made MUL unstoppable.
Though Saints’ goalers Ella Quinlan and Sinead Lumsden showed promise, MUL’s persistent defending limited their influence on the night. MUL will now look to make it three on the trot next week.
DIVISION 1
PENINSULA WAVES 60 def CITY WEST FALCONS 42
BOROONDARA EXPRESS 55 def CASEY DEMONS NETBALL 41
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY LIGHTNING 51 def WILSON STORAGE SOUTHERN SAINTS 42
NORTH EAST BLAZE 53 def HAWKS NETBALL 52
ARIELS 46 def by GEELONG COUGARS 66
Entering Round 2 with confidence after a stunning 4-goal triumph over Casey last week, Peninsula got off to a blistering start, leading the Falcons by 7 goals at quarter time.
Peninsula midcourter Sara Duncan set the pace early, linking well with teammates Adrienne Harris and Georgia Hernan.
By half time, immense defensive pressure enabled Waves to secure a 10-point leeway, forcing Falcons to play catch up for the remainder of the match.
While Falcons goalers Caitlin Hill and Jessie Barnes remained determined until the end, the margin was ultimately insurmountable to be matched.
After falling short last week, Boroondara Express were motivated to make their mark on the 2021 season, claiming a 14-goal victory over the winless Casey Demons.
Inspired by some impressive midcourt play from their captain Chelsea Sartori, Express commanded an early lead, which they were then able to extend at every break.
This translated to a truly consistent four-quarter performance from Express.
Other notable performers on the night were Express’ Abbey Ryan and Alahria Smith, as well as Casey’s Isabella Cuming and Shannon Freeman.
While scores remained close for much of the match, an assertive final term performance from MUL enabled them to come away with the chocolates in the end.
Though Saints’ defensive duo Sasha Witts and Georgie Whittle dug deep, MUL’s first-rate midcourt flow, as commanded by captain Georgie Rodger, proved too damaging.
Consistent goaling performances from MUL’s Emma Buwalda and Sophie O’Kane further propelled their side to victory.
NORTH EAST BLAZE 53 def HAWKS NETBALL 52
It was a game-winning buzzer-beater that decided the result of this match, the tightest contest of Round 2.
In spite of leading all game, Hawks couldn’t quite get the job done, vying against a cool, calm and collected opposition.
Blaze defender Ruby Tidd played an exceptional match, while consistent goaling from Blaze’s Ellie Dowling and Abigail Gedge added to Hawks’ woes.
The loss was particularly bittersweet for the brown and gold, leaving them winless after two rounds.
Over at MSAC, a 20-goal victory over Ariels saw Geelong Cougars retain their spot at the top of the Division 1 ladder.
Though Ariels’ shooter Grace Kelly shot at perfect accuracy, Cougars pounced early and displayed a relentless work ethic to widen their lead at every break.
Cougars will now look to make it 3-from-3 in their clash against Peninsula next week.
19&U
NORTH EAST BLAZE 48 def by HAWKS NETBALL 54
ARIELS 59 def GEELONG COUGARS 54
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY LIGHTNING 40 def by WILSON STORAGE SOUTHERN SAINTS 44
PENINSULA 45 def CITY WEST FALCONS 37
BOROONDARA EXPRESS 65 def CASEY DEMONS NETBALL 43
It was a classic come from behind win for Hawks on Court 2, as they enjoyed a 6-goal victory against North East Blaze.
Following a slow start, Hawks managed to find their groove in the second term after making some tactical changes, primarily in the midcourt.
Though Blaze goaler Kaylah Loulanting had a particularly impressive night, converting 29 goals from 32 attempts (91%), Hawks defenders Charlotte Crook, Gemma Thomas and Abigail Inglis were too strong, making some spectacular intercepts and providing plenty of drive down the court.
Hawks now sit 2nd on the 19&U ladder, while Blaze are 4th.
Eyeing a victory after losing in the opening round, Ariels survived a late scare from the Geelong Cougars to claim a thrilling 5-goal win.
Though Cougars trailed at every break, an inspiring defensive effort from Cougars’ captain Ella Rees in the final quarter galvanized the group into action.
Unfortunately, the margin was too great for the Cougars to overcome though, as Ariels’ sharp shooters Emily Andrew and Taylah Werner held their nerve to seal the win.
Meanwhile at MSAC, Wilson Storage Southern Saints were also able to capitalise on their match-long lead against MUL, but only by 4 goals in the end.
Though Saints doubled the score of their opposition in the first quarter, MUL remained resilient and fought back to produce a dynamic final term; much to the enjoyment of fans.
However, Saints proved too strong, with Tadiwa Kahonde and Charlize Buskermolen dominating in the midcourt and goal circle respectively, empowering their squad to snatch the victory.
After a first-round defeat, City West Falcons entered this week eager to regain their confidence. Inversely, Peninsula were looking to generate a winning streak, by going 2-from-2.
What ensued in this clash could not have been anticipated by audiences.
Though Peninsula got off to a strong start, courtesy of defensive duo Matilda Cook and Charlotte Sengstock, Falcons were never too far behind, only trailing by two goals at half time.
Dubbed the ‘premiership quarter’, and for good reason, it was the third quarter that separated the two sides on the scoreboard, with Peninsula gaining the upper hand.
But Falcons had not given up hope, coming into the final term with a point to prove.
As Peninsula midcourter Abby Williams stated, “That last quarter was crazy… the crowd was so loud, it was full-on.”
“There was pressure, it was physical and just awesome to be out there.”
The electrifying finale was brimming with breathtaking intercepts and clever tactical thinking from both sides.
Falcons’ fast footwork and physicality was put to the test against Peninsula’s offensive pressure.
Ultimately, Peninsula prevailed by 8 goals in what Williams described as “a very tough, physical, loud but really good match.”
“Our main focus today was converting our turnovers and I thought we stuck to that.”
The victors will play Geelong Cougars next week, while the Falcons will look to claim their first win of the 2021 season against Boroondara Express.
The odds were in favour of Boroondara Express this week, taking out their first win of the 2021 season against Casey Demons.
Some fumbling and miscommunication from Casey in the first half proved fatal, as midcourter Casey Dunstan and goaler Ella Tennant combined well for Express.
Though Casey’s Lainey Bidwell provided intense midcourt pressure, Express were able to maintain their lead across the remaining three quarters, ultimately securing a 22-goal win.
