St Ursula’s break eight year netball winless streak in dramatic fashion
St Ursula’s College broke an eight year netball drought against rivals Downlands. Get an inside look into the historic result including 100+ photos from every game here.
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As the final siren rang out, marking an end to an eight year long drought, Julian Cattonar stepped away from the sideline.
The St Ursula’s College head of netball needed the briefest of moments to compose himself before he celebrated with his players, coaching staff and supporters.
For eight years St Ursula’s have been ‘second best’ not winning a Senior A game in their longstanding netball rivalry with Downlands College, however all that changed on Friday night.
St Ursula’s broke their drought in dramatic fashion winning four of their Merici-Chevalier Cup games against Downlands and drawing the other.
“It’s an amazing achievement,” Cattonar said.
“There was a bit of a joke going around the teams that I would cry if we won and I was a bit emotional after the last game. I needed a moment just to compose myself a little.
“In the end I was just ecstatic.
“We have not beaten Downlands in any (Senior A netball) game for eight years.
“What we achieved on Friday was phenomenal, I’m overjoyed for everyone involved.”
St Ursula’s Junior Development squad set tone for what would be a gripping night with a 12-12 draw.
Cattonar praised the efforts of the side’s young stars who squared the ledger with a goal on the buzzer.
The college’s other sides followed suit with the Junior B (16-13), Junior A) 21-140, Senior B (30-17) and Senior A (33-32) securing wins.
The St Ursula’s Senior A girls were pushed to the very limit in the last game of the evening with Dowlands never giving up on.
“It was a hard game to watch,” Cattonar said.
“The girls really had to work for it, every time they would get out to a two or three goal lead Downlands would peg it back.
“They ground the result out in the end, treating every new quarter like it was a brand new game and not letting anything in the last quarter dictate how they played the rest of the game.
“It could’ve easily ended in a draw with Downlands pushing hard after a grabbing a turnover in the last 30 seconds of the game.
“It was a very gritty, impressive result in the end.”
Cattonar praised the efforts of every player court side Friday while also paying tribute to those who helped build the foundation of the college’s new netball program.
“Four years ago I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to develop a new netball program here,” Cattonar said.
“(Former St Ursula’s principal) Tanya Appleby had the vision and new principal Deidre Young is a huge supporter of the program as well.
“Coaches Tom Morton and Jaime Thomas have been here from the start and more recently Tracy McAuliffe has come on board.
“We had five year plan to rebuild to take St Ursula's back to its netball glory days.
“Friday night’s wins are huge tick for us but we still have a way to go yet.
“Everything we have achieved so far, the progress we have made, is because of the support and hard work of so many people including our past players.
“I personally could not ask for a better team or organisation around me – results are about the team you surround yourself with.”
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