BY NATHAN DOLE
Eight clubs feature as netball finals tip-off
EIGHT clubs feature on court in this weekend’s start to the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL’s netball finals action.
Qualifying finals will be played on Saturday at Marist College Bendigo in Maiden Gully.
On Sunday teams will be vying to stay in the premiership race when they contest elimination finals at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
In the A-grade competition, Pyramid Hill meets Newbridge in the qualifying final on Saturday.
This season’s meetings between the Bulldogs and Maroons stand at one-all.
It was the Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy which won the Reconciliation Round match at Mitchell Park.
A great match in Pyramid Hill in the seventh round ended in a 40-38 win for the Maroons.
Just three goals separated the teams in round 16 at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
The Chelsea Emmerson-coached Pyramid Hill team marked a hard-fought 48-45 victory.
The Bulldogs had a win-loss tally of 13-3 across the home-and-away series.
All three defeats were by single digit margins.
The red, white and blue was beaten by Newbridge by two goals, went down to Bears-Lagoon Serpentine by five goals in round 10, and 43-49 against Mitiamo in the 14th round.
All defeats were on Pyramid Hill’s court.
A season high for the Bulldogs was the 54-49 win against Mitiamo on the Superoos’ court at John Forbes Oval in round five.
Newbridge’s season record is 10 wins, five defeats, and a draw.
First defeat was a 35-37 result at home against Marong in round two.
The Maroons had a tough run where they were beaten at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval in round nine by 22 goals, and went down 23-57 against Bridgewater at Newbridge a week later.
In round 11, Newbridge fought on for a 48-all draw on Marong’s court at East West Oval in Malone Park.
Other losses were to top teams Pyramid Hill and Mitiamo by three and 31 goals.
The winner of Saturday’s match will take on the Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo in the second semi-final on August 31 at Bridgewater.
On Sunday it will be Bridgewater against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine in the A-grade elimination final at Pyramid Hill.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Mean Machine and Bears.
The Caz Wood and Olivia Collicoat-coached Bridgewater scored a 45-34 win at home against the Bears in round five.
A Bears line-up which has Danielle O’Toole in her first season as coach marked a 44-34 win against the Mean Machine in round 14 at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The elimination finalists achieved a 10-6 run in the home-and-away series.
Teams through to second semi-finals at Bridgewater on August 31 are Marong, 13-and-under; Calivil United, 15-and-under; Bridgewater, 17-and-under; Marong, C-reserve; Pyramid Hill, C-grade; Newbridge, B-grade; and Mitiamo, A-grade.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Marist College Bendigo, Maiden Gully:
15-and-under at 10.30am: Bridgewater v Maiden Gully YCW.
13-and-under at 12pm: Calivil United v Inglewood.
17-and-under at 12pm: Marong v Calivil United.
B-grade at 1.30pm: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
C-reserve at 1.30pm: Maiden Gully YCW v Newbridge.
C-grade at 3pm: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
A-grade at 3pm: Pyramid Hill v Newbridge.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park:
15-and-under at 10.30am: Marong v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
13-and-under at 12pm: Bears-Lagoon Serpentine v Maiden Gully YCW.
17-and-under at 12pm: Maiden Gully YCW v Pyramid Hill.
B-grade at 1.30pm: Bridgewater v Maiden Gully YCW.
C-reserve at 1.30pm: Pyramid Hill v Bridgewater.
C-grade at 3pm: Marong v Maiden Gully YCW.
A-grade at 3pm: Bridgewater v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.