Victorian Netball League: revived Boroondara Express looking to upset Peninsula Waves

Boroondara Express will attack tomorrow night’s Victorian Netball League championship division clash with Peninsula Waves at the Patterson River Secondary College with renewed vigour after snapping a recent run of outs.

Kayla McQuade and her Boroondara Express outfit are hoping to have an impact in the final four weeks. Picture: David Crosling

Boroondara Express will attack tomorrow night’s Victorian Netball League championship division clash with Peninsula Waves at the Patterson River Secondary College with renewed vigour after snapping a recent run of outs.

The side, 3-11 and eighth, will also be boosted by the return of some handy top flight players to the line-up as well as the continuing improvement of a host of up and coming talent.

Last week, the Express picked up its third win of the season when it took care of the winless cellar-dwellers, Sovereigns.

After a tough season, marked by injuries and players missing on ANL and other higher duties, the young rebuilding line-up needed the tonic that only a win can supply and, after jumping early, it saluted 76-41.

Boroondara entered the game on the back of a tough month that included matches against premiership contenders DC North East Blaze, City West Falcons and Melbourne University Lightning in the space of just four weeks.

Anastasia Hamill played a handy cameo last week. Picture: David Crosling

“It’s (the win) been a long time coming,” coach Kaylea McQuade said. “We’ve had a couple of tough games and keeping the girls motivated has been a challenge.

“To have the win was great and to actually perform well. They worked incredibly hard.”

But perhaps the biggest sting, McQuade said, was the disappointment of a one-goal loss to Ariels in round 9, a missed opportunity the whole squad took to heart.

Boroondara started strongly against Sovereigns, leading 23-10 at quarter-time, and extended its advantage at every break before the final buzzer greeted a morale-boosting 35-goal win.

In what has been a breakout season, 18-year-old goalshooter Clare Vearing again led the way with 33 goals from her 41 attempts (81 per cent) while Ella Bertacchini (25-from-29, 87 per cent) netted her best return in a while.

McQuade was thrilled with the progress Vearing has made this year.

“She’s presenting really well at the back and the girls have a lot of faith in her,” she said.

“And Ella went on at halftime and for her to have that confidence boost was really pleasing.”

Anastasia Hamill chipped win with a handy cameo of 11-from-12 (92 per cent) while Sam Gooden was back from Melbourne Vixens duties and played a half for a return of seven-from-10 (70 per cent).

Melbourne Vixens’ Sam Gooden has returned to the Boroondara line-up Picture: Jason McCawley (Getty Images)

Joining Gooden in making a welcome return to the Boroondara line-up was centre Lara Dunkley, with the ANL season now over, while her Vic Fury teammate Casey Adamson, recovering from injury, will also be back on court shortly.

McQuade said the returning players had added another level of class to the young side but that it had also raised the performance level of the rest of the squad.

“The girls are all very competitive for their places,” she said.

“They are all thinking ‘we don’t want to be benched just because you’re coming back’.”

Saturday night’s clash against the Waves, 6-8 and sixth, looms as a defining one for Boroondara as it presents a big opportunity to add to the win column and keep the side pressing towards a sixth or seventh place finish

WHAT: Victorian Netball League

WHO: Peninsula Waves v Boroondara Express

WHEN: Saturday, July 28

WHERE: Patterson River Secondary College, 70-98 Eel Race Rd, Seaford

WHAT TIME: 19&under (5pm), Division 1 (6.20pm), Championship Division (8.10pm)

Ella Bertacchini had a return to form last week. Picture: David Crosling