Tight tussles and team performances provided an exciting week of VNL. City West Falcons were on fire, clean sweeping the Waves at Somerville Recreation Centre!
CHAMPIONSHIP
North East Blaze (48) defeated by Melbourne University Lightning (50)
Boroondara Express (61) defeated Hawks Netball (52)
Geelong Cougars (55) defeated Ariels (41)
Wilson Storage Southern Saints (69) defeated by Casey Demons (75)
Peninsula Waves (60) defeated by City West Falcons (76)
North East Blaze suffered another narrow loss, falling just two goals short against Melbourne University Lightning in a stunning match. Nyah Allen continued her good form since returning to the competition in Round 11, while Kelsie Rainbow showed her skill at circle edge.
Casey Demons snapped the Saints winning streak with a six-goal win, thanks in part to a stunning performance from last year’s Hot Shot winner Emma Ryde. Ryde sank 58 of the Demons’ 75 goals, despite the best efforts of Tadiwa Kahonde who applied defensive pressure across both goal defence and wing defence. Tayla Honey was also crucial for the Demons, having a sensational night in wing attack.
Boroondara Express followed their clutch victory last week with another win, defeating Hawks Netball by nine goals, while Geelong Cougars enjoyed a comfortable victory over Ariels. City West Falcons also tallied some points, continuing their hot form with a 16-goal win over Peninsula Waves at Somerville Recreation Centre.
DIVISION 1
Wilson Storage Southern Saints (60) defeated Casey Demons (41)
Geelong Cougars (64) defeated Ariels (51)
North East Blaze (50) defeated Melbourne University Lightning (44)
Boroondara Express (37) defeated by Hawks Netball (57)
Peninsula Waves (51) defeated by City West Falcons (71)
It was round of comfortable wins in Division 1, with Hawks Netball, North East Blaze and City West Falcons all continuing their winning streaks.
Boroondara Express duo Jessica Leader and Karina Martin combined well in defence, but they couldn’t hold back the attacking effort from the Hawks who soared to a 20-goal win. The Saints continued their late charge up the ladder with a win over Casey Demons, while North East Blaze defeated Melbourne University Lightning in the closest clash of the round.
Emmalia Blake was the star for Ariels in their match against Geelong Cougars, shooting 43 goals at 93% accuracy to keep the team in touch with Geelong throughout the match. But the ladder-leaders proved too good, pulling together a solid full-court performance to claim a 13-goal win and further consolidate their place at the top of the table. Ellen Doyle had a great night under the post, while Olivia Taylor was strong in goal defence at the other end of the court. In Sunday’s match up, solid performances from Chloe Langley and Teal Hocking led the Falcons to a 20-goal victory against Peninsula Waves.
19&UNDER
Boroondara Express (46) defeated by Hawks Netball (63)
Wilson Storage Southern Saints (56) defeated Casey Demons (51)
North East Blaze (57) defeated by Melbourne University Lightning (71)
Geelong Cougars (51) defeated by Ariels (58)
Peninsula Waves (47) defeated by City West Falcons (54)
Melbourne University Lightning put their stamp on the competition this week, defeating third-placed North East Blaze by 14 goals. The Lightning showed their depth with a flurry of different court combinations, while goal shooter Kate O’Dwyer had a blinder under the post with 53 goals at 95% accuracy.
Ariels claimed their third victory of the season against Geelong Cougars, while Hawks Netball edged closer to solidifying their place in the top four with a win over Boroondara Express. Ariels’ Annecy Lyon was impressive in her first game back in a month, while Sienna Green and Mollie Helmot combined well in the midcourt for the Hawks.
Wilson Storage Southern Saints emerged victorious in the tightest contest of the round, Saachi Donald once again a force to be reckoned with in goal keeper. Lainey Bidwell starred in the midcourt, keeping her connections sharp from centre pass to circle edge, but it was the Saints who marched away with the four points.
City West Falcons enjoyed another win, edging out Peninsula Waves by seven goals. Sharpshooter Charlize Gabel Joseph fought hard for the Waves, shooting 34 of their 47 goals, but the Falcons proved too good.
UP NEXT
Round 15
Wednesday 28 June
- City West Falcons vs North East Blaze – Altona Sports Centre
- Casey Demons vs Ariels – Casey Stadium (Livestream – KommunityTV)
- Melbourne University Lightning vs Peninsula Waves
Saturday 1 July
- Hawks Netball vs Wilson Storage Southern Saints – Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium
Sunday 2 July
- Geelong Cougars vs Boroondara Express – Wurdi Baierr Stadium (Livestream – Netball Victoria Facebook Page)
