A GOAL was the margin as Bears-Lagoon Serpentine beat Marong Saturday’s 14th round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
The Bears and Panthers played a great match at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
A Bears line-up jointly coached by Danielle O’Toole and Lara Clements fought on for a 51-50 victory against the fifth-placed Marong.
The BLS team is now eight points and 19 per cent behind the Bridget Willox-coached Marong which holds fifth place at four rounds to go in the home-and-away series.
Bridgewater could not stop Pyramid Hill’s charge to a 16-goal victory.
The Mean Machine had home-court advantage at Bridgewater Recreation Reserve for an important clash with the second-placed Bulldogs.
By the final siren Pyramid Hill led 60-44.
Consecutive defeats have put the Caz Wood and Olivia Hoiles-coached Bridgewater eight points behind the third-placed Newbridge.
A Pyramid Hill team coached by Chelsea Emmerson, Simone Edgley and Laura Herbert has won four of its past five matches and is second on the ladder.
Results in the other two matches across the Valley went as expected.
Newbridge marked a 62-49 win at home against Calivil United at Deepcore Drilling Riverside Oval.
The Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy-coached Newbridge strengthened its grip on the third rung and double chance at finals time.
It was another fine attacking performance by the Cindy Portwine-coached Calivil United which has scored 54, 51 and 49 goals in its past three matches.
Mitiamo fell just short of the century mark in its match against Inglewood at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
The Superoos dominated play to win 97-18.
Jointly coached by Jess Kaur and Abbey Battersby, Mitiamo is unbeaten in its pursuit of back-to-back premierships.
It was another tough afternoon for the Caitlyn Cartwright-coached Inglewood Blues.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles had the bye.
Standings in the Loddon Valley FNL A-grade netball competition:
Mitiamo 175 per cent, 48 points; Pyramid Hill 137, 44; Newbridge 144, 36; Bridgewater 136, 28; Marong 110, 28; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 91, 20; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 65, 12; Calivil United 69, 8; Inglewood 38, 0.
It’s third against first as Newbridge meets Mitiamo in next Saturday’s round 15 match at Deepcore Drilling Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine has home-court advantage at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Calivil United takes on Bridgewater in the Demons’ den at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
Inglewood faces Pyramid Hill in the clash of the Blues and Bulldogs at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
Marong has the bye.
Round 14 scoreboard:
A-reserve:
Bridgewater 50 d Pyramid Hill 47, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 23 lt Marong 65, Newbridge 44 d Calivil United 39, Mitiamo 39 d Inglewood 38, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles bye.
B-grade:
Bridgewater 36 d Pyramid Hill 33, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 15 lt Marong 54, Newbridge 47 d Calivil United 18, Mitiamo 46 d Inglewood 29, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles bye.
B-reserve:
Bridgewater 35 d Pyramid Hill 28, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 34 lt Marong 60, Newbridge 59 d Calivil United 36, Mitiamo 34 lt Inglewood 44, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles bye.
17-and-under:
Bridgewater 66 d Pyramid Hill 18, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 28 lt Marong 47, Newbridge 30 lt Calivil United 63, Mitiamo 35 d Inglewood 34, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles bye.
15-and-under:
Bridgewater 36 d Pyramid Hill 18, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 25 lt Marong 50, Newbridge 13 lt Calivil United 96, Mitiamo 23 lt Inglewood 52, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles bye.
13-and-under:
Bridgewater 47 d Pyramid Hill 3, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 17 lt Marong 33, Newbridge 44 d Calivil United 18, Mitiamo 20 lt Inglewood 26, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles bye.
Netball ladders after 14 rounds:
A-reserve:
Bridgewater 129 per cent, 44 points; Marong 150,. 40; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 120, 36; Pyramid Hill 128, 34; Newbridge 123, 26; Mitiamo 99, 22; Calivil United 91, 14; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 54, 8; Inglewood 44, 0.
B-grade:
Bridgewater 166 per cent, 48 points; Marong 151, 44; Newbridge 132, 36; Pyramid Hill 116, 30; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 95, 26; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 82, 16; Calivil United 62, 12; Mitiamo 75, 8; Inglewood 66, 4.
B-reserve:
Bridgewater 143 per cent, 44 points; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 143, 40; Pyramid Hill 142, 40 points; Newbridge 110, 32; Marong 114, 24; Inglewood 96, 24; Calivil United 81, 16; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 56, 4; Mitiamo 52, 0.
17-and-under:
Bridgewater 205 per cent, 44 points; Calivil United 162, 44; Marong 155, 36; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 149, 32; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 79, 24; Pyramid Hill 68, 16; Mitiamo 68, 16; Inglewood 53, 6; Newbridge 48, 2.
15-and-under:
Calivil United 358 per cent, 48 points; Marong 175, 40; Bridgewater 141, 36; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 117, 36; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 96, 22; Inglewood 72, 20; Pyramid Hill 93, 18; Mitiamo 33, 4; Newbridge 35, 0.
13-and-under:
Newbridge 388 per cent, 48 points; Marong 150, 36; Calivil United 126, 32; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 111, 32; Bridgewater 120, 24; Pyramid Hill 65, 24; Inglewood 78, 16; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 50, 8; Mitiamo 33, 4.