BY NATHAN DOLE
Hay wins closely-fought netball clash with Roos
HAY advanced to the A-grade netball grand final after a closely-fought duel with Ultima in the Golden Rivers preliminary final on Saturday.
The Lions and Kangaroos played on Ultima’s court.
Win-loss record in this season’s meetings between Hay and Ultima was two-one in favour of the Lions.
It was Hay which fought on for a 52-49 victory on the second-last day of the season and will now meet Murrabit in Saturday’s grand final at Hay Park.
After finishing the 16-round home-and-away series in third place on a 10-6 record, Hay is on a winning streak when it matters most.
The Lions won the first semi-final against Moulamein by 12 goals and then faced an Ultima line-up determined to rebound from an 11-goal loss to Murrabit in the second semi-final.
On Saturday it was Hay
Ultima netted two wins on preliminary final.
The Roos won the B-grade match against Hay by eight goals, and scored a 52-46 victory in the B-reserve clash with Murrabit.
In C-grade, Murrabit marked a 48-35 win against Hay.
The Lions’ cubs from Hay played well to the 17-and-under and 15-and-under matches by 17 and 22 goals against Murrabit and Moulamein respectively.
Four of the league’s six clubs will be represented on grand final.
Hay and Murrabit will have four teams take to the court, and Ultima will have three chasing premiership success.
The Bombers from Wandella are represented in C-grade.
Golden Rivers FNL netball preliminary finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Hay 52 d Ultima 49.
B-grade: Ultima 46 d Hay 38.
B-reserve: Ultima 52 d Murrabit 46.
C-grade: Murrabit 48 d Hay 35.
17-and-under: Hay 49 d Murrabit 32.
14-and-under: Hay 44 d Moulamein 22.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Hay Park:
17-and-under at 9.45am, court one: Ultima v Hay.
B-reserve at 11.15am, court one: Hay v Ultima.
14-and-under at 11.15am, court two: Murrabit v Hay.
C-grade at 12.55pm, court two: Wandella v Murrabit.
B-grade at 12.55pm, court one: Murrabit v Ultima.
A-grade at 2.35pm, court one: Murrabit v Hay.
PHOTO – Helen Bennett