Victorian Netball League: Boroondara Express and Southern Saints win thrillers, North East Blaze held to a draw and Peninsula Waves are on fire

In a round of nailbiters, Southern Saints and Boroondara Express headed home on Wednesday night with confidence-boosting wins in tow while North East Blaze was left with the hollow feeling only an error-riddled draw can deliver.

Southern Saints coach Jade Heinrich Picture: David Crosling

In a round of VNL Championship Division nailbiters, Southern Saints and Boroondara Express headed home from the State Netball Centre on Wednesday night with confidence-boosting wins in tow while North East Blaze was left with the hollow feeling only an error-riddled draw can deliver.

Peninsula Waves, however, was all smiles after a hefty win over Casey Demons dumped the competition newcomers from the top four.

TOP FOUR JUST REWARD FOR IMPROVING SAINTS

The Southern Saints have done a tumbleturn and are heading back up the pool a game clear in fourth spot at the halfway mark of the Victorian Netball League Championship Division season.

And according to coach Jade Heinrich, they do so after one of the most satisfying wins of the season, albeit a game they did their level best to throw away a number of times throughout Wednesday night’s clash at the State Netball Hockey Centre.

After trailing for most of the night against lowly-ranked Melbourne University Lightning, the Saints knuckled down over the last 15 minutes and edged to a 54-52 win.

“We spoke about it a lot after the game and we identified that we didn’t play great,” Heinrich said. “But to their credit, Melbourne Uni were hard at the body and made us work hard for the ball. That was probably the best side we’ve played (this season) that we’ve beaten.”

Heinrich noted with pride that, with the game slipping from its grasp, her side had shown a will to win when it mattered most.

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“It’s good to see that desire in the girls,” she said. “Never at any stage of the game did we

allow MU to score three goals in a row.

‘”That mental toughness, in the final quarter we really wanted it more.”

The Saints again lent heavily on a four-pronged attack with Ella Quinlan (22-from-24, 92 per cent), Chloe Wilson (11-from-13, 85 per cent), Sinead Lumsden (12-from-13, 93 per cent and Samantha Silvester (9-from-10, 90 per cent) all doing what was expected of them during their on-court minutes.

The win allowed Saints to leapfrog Casey Demons into the top four after the Demons suffered an upset 62-41 loss to the Peninsula Waves at Maroondah Nets Stadium in Ringwood.

Southern now holds a gap of one win and percentage on the fifth-ranked side ahead of a tough clash with North East Blaze at state headquarters on Wednesday night.

DRAW FEELS LIKE A LOSS SAYS COACH

North-East Blaze didn’t lose its Victorian Netball League Championship Division clash against the Geelong Cougars at the State Netball Hockey Centre on Wednesday night.

But sharing the points after a 55-55 draw in an intense second v third clash left Blaze coach Kelli Zealley feeling a little empty the next day.

“It’s really just a hollow feeling,” she said of the draw. “Our decision making at critical times really cost us. But (on the positive side) I guess we were playing catch-up with two minutes to go and we had plenty of opportunities, but that's what pressure does.”

Blaze led for much of the 60 minutes, three goals up at quarter time, four at the half and two at three-quarter time before a rising error count, which cost it in a narrow loss to City West Falcons a few weeks back, opened the door for Geelong.

“I felt they had just as many (errors) as us,” Zealley said. “It was just a tough, grinding, relentless defensive game.”

Libby Nicol scored a perfect 38-from-38 while Abbey Ellis had 11-from-12 (92 per cent) and Sarah Hogan 6-from-7 (86 per cent) but it was a hard working defence that earned the coach’s biggest plaudits.

“KB (goalkeeper Kaitlyn Black) and Tay (goal defence Tayissa Coppinger) and our defence end was phenomenal and gave us so many chances,” she said.

“ (Coppinger) is a very underrated player who plays with her heart and soul.”

Blaze has turned at the halfway mark of the season in third place, percentage behind the Cougars, ahead of a testing clash with the much improved Southern Saints (fourth) at the Maroondah Nets Stadium in Ringwood on Wednesday night (7pm).

Peninsula Waves coach Jess Whitfort. Picture: David Crosling

TEENAGER MAKES DEBUT TO REMEMBER

A sparkling debut by a teenager helped the Peninsula Waves snap a five-game losing streak in VNL Championship Division on Wednesday night.

Ashlee Barnett, elevated from the club’s 19 and under side, was among the Waves’ best players as they brushed aside Casey Demons 62-41 at the Maroondah Nets Stadium in Ringwood.

Barnett had an instant impact playing on Demons star Erin Bell.

“Ash did a brilliant job,’’ Waves coach Jess Whitfort said. “She played with so much confidence and put a lot of pressure on her (Bell) — and her team look for her a bit.’’

Peninsula’s goalers Maddie Morrison and Gabby Dwyer were also outstanding as the Waves hurried to a 15-8 lead at quarter time.

By halftime, the Waves had established a matchwinning 20-goal break.

“We came out really strong and firing,’’ Whitfort said. “We had a very undermanned side, there were a lot of players out playing ANL.

“It all came together. They all played so well. Our goalers really hit their stride. Maddie Morrison and Gabby Dwyer shot the lights out for us, they were such a target in attack, on some really good defenders as well.

“And credit to young Ash Barnett who really stepped up from the 19s and to start on a really quality player.’’

Morrison netted 26 of 42 attempts (62 per cent) while Dwyer had 19-from-26 (74 per cent), Brierly Parker 9-from-10 (90 per cent) and Stacie Gardiner 8-from-9 (89 per cent).

At 3-6, the Waves can still play finals, according to Whitfort.

“We’re still a chance,’’ she said. “That win puts us back up to sixth and halfway through the season we are looking to get a few of our players back soon. So if we can keep that form up … we certainly aren’t ruling ourselves out yet.’’

Boroondara Express coach Kayla McQuade said her side needs to aim for four-quarter consistency Picture: David Crosling

BOROONDARA DIGS DEEP TO GROUND HAWKS

Boroondara Express gave its VNL Championship Division season a shot in the arm when it scrapped its way to a 54-53 win over Hawks Netball at the State Netball Hockey Centre on Wednesday night.

Fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the hour-long contest with Boroondara down by a goal at quarter-time and up by four at the half before scores were all-square ahead of a frantic final quarter-hour.

“It was great to kind of measure ourselves, to see where we’re standing,” Express coach Kaylea McQuade said of the win over a finals candidate. “We’ve had games against three of the top four sides (North East Blaze, Geelong Cougars and City West Falcons between rounds four and seven) and we’ve played some good netball. We’re hitting some of our targets but it’s just been a couple of quarters (that have cost the side).

“It still wasn’t our best game, but that’s exciting that we can win when we’re not playing well.

“It puts us in a positive frame of mind for a couple of challenging games ahead. We’ve got Waves and Saints in the next two weeks and they’re games that will be a good opportunity to test where we’re at.”

Boroondara’s second quarter proved telling with goalkeeper Jade Forbes-Wattley picking up a string of turnovers and the attack end converting 17 of 18 attempts.

Clare Vearing continued her great season with 40 goals from 47 attempts (86 per cent) while Anastasia Hamill had six-from-eight (75 per cent) until going off injured in the third quarter.

Chevvone Thomson then came into the game and the youngster, up from the 19 and under side, was composed in sinking eight-from-10 (80 per cent).

“She did a really good job in a very tight game,” McQuade said.

Boroondara has turned at the halfway mark of the season with a 2-7 record having it at the foot of the ladder. But in another exceptionally close season, just one game separates sixth to 10th.

McQuade said Boroondara would return to the training track with improved hour-long consistency its catch cry.

“That’s the difference between the top four and the bottom six,” she said.

Boroondara will tackle the Waves at state headquarters on Wednesday night (8.15pm start).