Yarrawonga's A Grade netball side marked star forward Madeleine Allan’s 30th birthday in perfect fashion, securing a convincing 13 goal victory against fifth-placed Lavington, in a dominant performance on the weekend.
From the first whistle, Yarrawonga brought intense pressure, particularly through the midcourt with Laura Davis and Laura Irvine, applying relentless defensive heat.
This allowed defenders Hannah Symes and Maisee Pell to control the back end, reading the play superbly and intercepting with ease.
In attack, the trio of Allan, Bridget Cassar, and Kaliesha Pell were electric, shooting at a collective rate above 80 per cent.
Cassar was a rock as goal shooter, while Allan’s smarts and Kaliesha’s athleticism continually broke down Lavington’s defence.
Tilly Kennedy was instrumental in wing attack, continuing her outstanding form with precise and patient feeds, which set up seamless goal combinations.
The win sets up a blockbuster clash next weekend against Wodonga Raiders, a rematch of last year’s grand final.
With the minor premiership and a first-week finals bye on the line, both teams will be out to make a statement.
Best: Hannah Symes and Tilly Kennedy.
B Grade
Lavington 16 def by Yarrawonga 27
With a great start to the game, the B Grade Yarrawonga Pigeons hit the lead early and managed to continue the lead throughout the game.
B Grade encountered rain, hail, wind, sunshine and pressure from the Lavington team however, with a collective team effort the side battled through.
B Grade backed themselves and made the most of their opportunities.
The side had extra motivation to get the win, which celebrated Kylie Leslie for her outstanding achievement of 350 games for Yarrawonga, and a birthday celebration for Alisha.
Well done to Ellie Dickins, Sophie Coghill and Grace Eales who shot well in tough conditions, it was not an ideal day to be a shooter.
Overall, the entire B Grade team played their role with great defensive pressure which led to plenty of turnovers across the whole court.
Best: Kira Dickens and Alicia Leslie.
C Grade
Lavington 46 def Yarrawonga 37
Yarrawonga C Grade came up against a strong Lavington side in what was a competitive and hard-fought contest.
The Pigeons started off with a strong first half yet could not withstand the brilliance of Lavington’s defensive pressure.
A strong effort in the midcourt from the Pigeons C Grade ensured plenty of ball movement and opportunities, but Lavington were that touch stronger, especially in converting their chances.
Despite a solid effort, Yarrawonga couldn’t quite close the gap and went down by nine goals.
Best: Players Player: Kirby Holmquest, Coaches Award: Ange Schofield.
Under 17
Lavington 58 def Yarrawonga 24
It was a cold start for the Yarrawonga under 17s who played the Lavington Panthers, away from home.
The game started with the Panthers taking a strong lead.
In the second quarter, the Under 17 Pigeons showed some fight, clawing the score back to a smaller margin.
A few forced errors blew the margin out again, which made it hard for the Under 17s to come back.
The side showed a lot of fight, but it just wasn’t their day.
Although it was a difficult day for the girls, many positives and improvements were taken away.
The side remain eager to improve and leave it all out on the court next week against the Wodonga Raiders.
Under 15
Lavington 31 def Yarrawonga 15
The Under 15 Yarrawonga Pigeons lined up against the Lavington Panthers, avoiding the rain but battling a wet court.
The girls were able to consistently stay in the game for four quarters, something the side has been working on in the second half of the season, and something the girls have been extremely successful at for the last four weeks.
While the Under 15s could not secure the win, the side narrowed their losing margin to 11 goals, which was something to celebrate.
The defenders battled hard against Lavington’s tall shooters all game and were able to come away with many interceptions and rebounds.
The midcourt transitioned the ball well and made great use of resetting the ball to the transverse line and the shooters worked tirelessly all day with multiple rotations throughout the game.
The Under 15s moved the ball well and shot with great accuracy.
Best: Coach’s Award: Emily Judd, Players Player: Winnie Heffernan.
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