Live stream: Victorian Netball League 23&Under, Hawks v Peninsula Waves, Boroondara Express v Gippsland Stars

The Hawks have staged a thrilling comeback, while Boroondara Express have led from the front to make good of the VNL 23&Under double header in Traralgon. Watch the REPLAYS.

Ladder leaders Hawks Netball have staged a stunning comeback to run over the top of Peninsula Waves for a thrilling 55-53 victory.

Staring down a second consecutive defeat, the Hawks regrouped at halftime when facing a 12-goal deficit to reel in their rivals with a stunning back half.

A 32-18 scoreline emphasised the difference between the two teams after the main break as the Hawks were determined not to lose for the second week running.

The Waves were hardly embarrassed, but with rue the fact they had the competition leaders on the rack.

Playing at Traralgon as part of the round 19 regional round, Waves desperately tried to hang on in the dying minutes but the Hawks packed too much momentum for the top-four hopefuls.

In the other match, Boroondara Express led from the outset to topple the Gippsland Stars.

Despite only trailing by four points at halftime, the Stars couldn’t stay with the Express as they blew the margin out to double figures (50-40) at the final buzzer.

Check the full LIVE STREAM schedule below.

REPLAYS

Boroondara Express v Gippsland Stars (23&U)

Watch the full replay in the window above.

Hawks Netball v Peninsula Waves (23&U)

PREVIEW

Hawks 23&Under coach Monique Lenehan-Moustafa can see the silver lining in a rare loss for the VNL ladder leaders.

For the first time this year, the Hawks will attempt to bounce back from defeat when they travel to Traralgon to take on top-four hopeful Peninsula Waves on Sunday in a round 19 regional round.

The game is part of a big 23-and-under double header that also includes Boroondara Express and Gippsland Stars to be shown LIVE and EXCLUSIVE by KommunityTV at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Centre from 12.30pm.

Lenehan-Moustafa, a former long-time VNL player at Hawks, steered the club to an impressive 16-game win streak in her first year at the helm before Wednesday’s five-goal round 18 loss to North East Blaze put a first blight on their record.

Praising the top-four Blaze’s game plan, which the Hawks struggled to counteract, Lenehan-Moustafa believed the loss had the potential to make her team stronger ahead of their guaranteed finals run.

“We just weren’t quick enough to adapt to change, if they were setting up certain things in our centre pass or they were, attacking-wise, setting up a deeper second phase, we really struggled together to see that early enough and adapt our own game plan to change that,” Lenehan-Moustafa said of the loss.

“I think that’s a really good learning curve for us.

“At the end of our game, we had just said, ‘it’s the first game we’ve lost for the season, it’s not the end of the world’.

“We’re fortunate enough to be clicking and connecting as a unit for a large majority, if not the whole season so far.”

Against the Waves, they will face a similarly fast-paced midcourt - the Hawks’ own controlled and steadied by captain Kaila Swindell - while limiting Waves sharpshooter Charlize Gabel Joseph’s impact is crucial to the crunch match.

Can the Hawks bounce back on Sunday?

Young defender Eloise Argoon has impressed after joining the Hawks at just 16, with the Hawks’ strong defensive unit also including the likes of Georgie O’Brien, Emma Storey and Olivia Barnett, while defensive mid courter Sienna Green has confidently stepped up to a higher division.

An ACL injury has ruled out Hawks midcourter Joss Bennetts for the rest of the campaign, though it has given 19&U talent Cheryl Chen the chance to come into the squad.

With four rounds remaining of the regular season, the Hawks aim to fine-tune combinations and keep confidence high in a bid to be ready for whatever is thrown at them come finals.

But with fifth-placed Peninsula Waves still in calculations to sneak into the top-four, and round 22 opponent Geelong Cougars just behind in sixth, the tough run home can be of geat benefit to the Hawks.

“You wouldn’t want to walk into finals assuming you are 100 per cent ready and you know everything that’s going to happen,” Lenehan-Moustafa said.

“Those teams that are pushing and challenging us, it helps push and challenge us to be better and seek those improvements.

“There are going to be those teams, Peninsula, who are going to come out guns blazing because they know beating us is going to help support them in their finals pursuits.”

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Originally published as Live stream: Victorian Netball League 23&Under, Hawks v Peninsula Waves, Boroondara Express v Gippsland Stars