General News
17 July, 2019
Bloods claim netball scalp
TERANG Mortlake will gain plenty from their Hampden league open netball victory over North Warrnambool according to coach Lisa Arundell.
TERANG Mortlake will gain plenty from their Hampden league open netball victory over North Warrnambool according to coach Lisa Arundell.
The Bloods downed the second placed Eagles 43-39, their first win over a fellow top five side since the early rounds when they defeated Warrnambool.
Arundell said the victory would do wonders for her side’s confidence and belief ahead of some big upcoming games.
“We beat Warrnambool early days in round two but there isn’t a lot to take out of that because both sides were missing players,” she said.
“But having now beaten North at full strength it gives us great confidence that we can beat these top sides.
“We know when we have played them top teams we have matched it with them, we just have a good fourth quarter each time we played them.
“It’s just a great confidence booster for the girls because it shows we can beat these teams if we play four quarters.”
The game was a close affair in the opening quarter before the Bloods took control in the second quarter.
They outscored the Eagles 14-9 to open up a four goal lead, which North was able to reduce to two at the last change.
But the Bloods held their nerve during a tense final quarter, pushing their lead back out with multiple goals to eventually record a four goal triumph.
“They kept coming at us each quarter, we’d get four or five goals ahead and every time we’d get ahead they’d just get it back late,” Arundell said.
“But in the last quarter it was good, we really tipped in and got the four or five goal buffer again and went on to win.
“It was a good win.”
Arundell was pleased with what she said was a “team effort” across the court and said it was hard to single out anyone as her best player.
Rather she praised several members of her squad for their efforts.
“Jacqui Arundell stood strong and so too did Jess Davis in goals,” Arundell said.
“They had to adjust their games, North have a really good defence and the conditions were quite blustery, so we changed a few things and they both adjusted well.
“And Melissa Burt down the other end and Libby Moloney as well were instrumental in the turnovers they got which were crucial to us winning, and Brooke Hoare was the same as well.”
The Bloods’ win cemented them in fifth position on the ladder, four points clear of South Warrnambool, Camperdown and Port Fairy.
A trip to face the Seagulls next awaits Terang Mortlake, a game Arundell said was a must win.
She said her side would approach the contest the same as every other week but knows the stakes were higher than ever.
“But coming towards the end of the season we can’t afford to drop these games,” she said.
“We only beat Port Fairy by a goal last time, it went right down to the wire and they have shown they have improved a lot over the last few weeks.
“We’ll be treating this game as we do every other week but we do have to win it if we want to play finals.”