BY NATHAN DOLE
Bridgewater faces in-form Mitiamo
BRIDGEWATER takes on the ladder-leading Mitiamo in this Saturday’s eighth round of A-grade netball action in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
A Bridgewater line-up jointly coached by Caz Wood and Olivia Collicoat will be chasing its fifth win of the season.
The Mean Machine starts this round in fourth place, but only a victory behind top three teams in Mitiamo, Pyramid Hill and Newbridge.
In the lead-up to the bye in Reconciliation Round played last Saturday, Bridgewater had won its previous two matches against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, 45-34, and at Marong, 61-35.
Huge challenge for the team in red and white against an opponent beaten just once so far.
The Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo bounced back from a five-goal loss on its court at John Forbes Oval against Pyramid Hill in round five to win its next two games against Inglewood and Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
Margins were 53 and 23 goals.
Another important match will be at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The Danielle O’Toole-coached Bears-Lagoon Serpentine takes on Maiden Gully YCW.
A 3-4 record has put the Bears in fifth place in the premiership race.
On the rebound from a 23-goal loss to the Superoos from Mitiamo, BLS starts the round locked on 12 points with Marong, but 28 per cent clear of the Panthers.
Although there have been plenty of changes to Maiden Gully YCW’s premiership line-up of the previous two years the Eagles are well in the race for a finals berth.
The Adam Boldiston-coached Eagles have a two-four record and are seventh on the ladder.
Was a superb effort by the Eagles to finish within a goal of Newbridge at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge just two weeks ago.
After breaking Pyramid Hill’s winning streak last round, Newbridge will be determined to keep the momentum rolling.
The Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy-coached Newbridge will be on its court to play Calivil United.
A 40-38 win at Pyramid Hill improved the Maroons’ win-loss tally to 5-1.
Newbridge starts the round in third place and will be determined to stay there.
Been a tough run for the Haylee Fawcett-coached Calivil United which has a one-five record.
The Demons marked a 48-36 win at home against Inglewood in Reconciliation Round.
Inglewood returns to Centre State Scaffolding Oval to play Pyramid Hill.
What was always going to a daunting task for the Blues is made greater by facing an opponent on the rebound from its first defeat of the season.
The Abbey Hayes-coached Inglewood will work hard to keep the pressure at a high level in all thirds of the court.
A Pyramid Hill line-up coached by Chelsea Emmerson is likely to have too much goalscoring power for Inglewood to match.
The Robyn Cunnington-coached Marong has the bye following a 46-41 win on the Maiden Gully YCW Eagles’ court at Marist College Oval.
Standings in the Loddon Valley FNL A-grade netball competition:
Mitiamo 200 per cent, 20 points; Pyramid Hill 139, 20; Newbridge 126, 20; Bridgewater 130, 16; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 110, 12; Marong 82, 12; Maiden Gully YCW 96, 8; Calivil United 51, 4; Inglewood 42, 0.