BRIDGEWATER put Marong out of the A-grade netball premiership race as it scored a 12-goal victory in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL elimination final on Sunday.
The Mean Machine took on the Panthers at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo.
It was one-all between the teams across the home-and-away series.
The Caz Wood and Olivia Hoiles-coached Bridgwater won the round four clash on its court by 25 goals.
In round 13 the Bridget Willox-coached Marong Panthers clawed their way to a 54-52 victory at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
On Sunday it was Bridgewater which proved too strong for the Panthers once again.
Pyramid Hill faced Newbridge in Saturday’s qualifying final at Marist College in Maiden Gully.
These teams met in the opening round at Deepcore Drilling Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
On that occasion it was Pyramid Hill which dug deep for a 51-44 victory.
When they met in round 10 the Bulldogs withstood a spirited challenge from the Maroons to win 42-40 at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
The Bulldogs’ run against Newbridge kept on rolling on day one of the finals series.
A Pyramid Hill team coached by Chelsea Emmerson, Simone Edgley and Laura Herbert netted a 57-41 victory.
The Bulldogs will now meet the unbeaten Mitiamo in next Saturday’s second semi-final at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The Abbey Battersby and Jess Kaur-coached Mitiamo is chasing back-to-back premierships.
Newbridge will fight to keep its season alive when it plays Bridgewater in Sunday’s first semi-final at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
The Newbridge team is coached by Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy.
Loddon Valley FNL netball qualifying final scoreboard:
A-reserve: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 62 d Marong 49.
B-grade: Marong 57 d Newbridge 40.
B-reserve: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 37 d Pyramid Hill 31.
17-and-under: Bridgewater 47 d Maiden Gully YCW 39.
15-and-under: Marong 30 d Bridgewater 29.
13-and-under: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 37 d Calivil United 24.
Loddon Valley FNL netball elimination finals scoreboard:
A-reserve: Newbridge 51 d Pyramid Hill 49.
B-grade: Pyramid Hill 38 d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 21.
B-reserve: Newbridge 49 d Marong 35.
17-and-under: Marong 54 d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 25.
15-and-under: Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 48 d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 40.
13-and-under: Marong 23 d Pyramid Hill 20.
Schedule for Saturday’s netball second semi-finals at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve:
15-and-under at 10.30am, court one: Calivil United v Marong.
17-and-under at noon, court one: Calivil United v Bridgewater.
13-and-under at noon, court two: Newbridge v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
A-reserve at 1.30pm, court one: Bridgewater v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
B-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Bridgewater v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
B-grade at 3pm, court two: Bridgewater v Marong.
A-grade at 3pm, court one: Mitiamo v Pyramid Hill.
Schedule for Sunday’s netball first semi-finals at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
15-and-under at 10.30am, court one: Bridgewater v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
17-and-under at noon, court one: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Marong.
13-and-under at noon, court two: Calivil United v Marong.
A-reserve at 1.30pm, court one: Marong v Newbridge.
B-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Pyramid Hill v Newbridge.
B-grade at 3pm, court two: Newbridge v Pyramid Hill.
A-grade at 3pm, court one: Newbridge v Bridgewater.