Final game to decide top three finish for either North or Yarrawonga
CLOSE CALL: Yarrawonga's Tilly Kennedy tries to hold possession, ahead of Lavington's Heidi Fisher, in the battle of the mid-courters.
YOUNG GUN: The Pigeons' Tilly Kennedy is one of a number of promising juniors the club has blended with its more experienced players. Pictures: JAMES WILTSHIRE
TEAM WORK: The visitors' Steph Elliott was forced to work hard in attack as the powerful Panthers' defence restricted the Pigeons to 38 goals.
TOUGHEST TEST: Indiana Frauenfelder and her Pigeons' team-mates faced the league's most difficult challenge against Lavington, falling by 16 goals.
ON TARGET: Steph Elliott lands one of the 23 goals she shot from 34 attempts in the loss to the unbeaten home side.
Yarra's Tilly Kennedy and Lavi's Heidi Fisher.
The makeup of the top three will come down to next Saturday’s final round.
North Albury jumped back into third with a 40-32 win over Wodonga Raiders, while Yarrawonga fell to fourth after losing 54-38 to undefeated Lavington in the grand final re-match on Saturday.
The pair sits on 44 points, with North Albury boasting a percentage of 106.59, while Yarrawonga is 104.55.
Yarrawonga hosts seventh-placed Raiders in its final match, while North is home to sixth-placed Corowa-Rutherglen, which can’t make finals.
North could win, yet still fall out of the double chance, depending on percentage.
Lavington handed in its most complete performance, blasting 16 goals to four in the final term to post the stirring win.
“It was probably our most consistent game, we wanted to start strong and we knew we needed to,” Panthers’ coach Tamara Mathews said.
“We just had performers across the court, I thought our defenders were outstanding and forced them to change things up a bit in their attack end.
“Alison Meani in goals was great for us, she provided lots of drive.”
Meani posted 39 goals from 47 attempts at a strong strike rate of 83 per cent in the wet conditions.
The home team’s shooters both fired at more than 70 per cent, with Sarah Senini landing 15 from 21, while Yarrawonga’s Steph Elliott (23-34) and Ange Tyrell (14-21) hovered just under that mark.
Along with Meani, the Panthers’ Ainslee O’Connell and Kate Yensch were superb, while Caitlin O’Dwyer and Annalise Grinter were outstanding for the visitors.
The Panthers ability to adapt to any situation is just one of the reasons it will take a mighty effort to stop them after gut-wrenching grand final losses to Yarrawonga.
“One of the advantages we have is we have every position covered by at least two or three options,” Mathews said.
North’s Grace Senior now has 623 goals after bagging 26 against Raiders, while Kirby Hilton celebrated her 200th club game in style.
One of the advantages we have is we have every position covered by at least two or three options.
Tamara Mathews
Alissa Donaldson was the pick of the home side.
Wangaratta blasted Myrtleford, 65-23.
Amanda Umanski fired another 46 goals, while Rhiannon McIlroy played well for the Saints.
Albury toppled Wangaratta Rovers, 56-35.
Jess Fisher-Curnow (32) led the scoring, while Olivia Aughton was terrific.
The Hawks were best served by Ainslee Dowling.
The Roos defeated Wodonga, 65-18, with Claire Wilson (33 goals) and Stephanie Clancy starring, while Jess Barton was Wodonga’s best.
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