BY NATHAN DOLE
Bulldogs, Bridgewater mark winning start to campaign
PYRAMID Hill and Bridgewater marked winning starts to the weekend’s A-grade netball finals in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
The Chelsea Emmerson-coached Pyramid Hill faced Newbridge in Saturday’s qualifying final at Marist College in Maiden Gully.
Fans were treated to a terrific contest between the Bulldogs and Maroons.
At the final siren it was Pyramid Hill in front, 44-41.
Pyramid Hill will now prepare to take on the Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo in next Saturady’s second semi-final at Bridgewater.
Although disappointed by the result the Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy worked hard across the home-and-away series to finish in third place and gain a double chance.
Newbridge will fight to stay in the premiership race when it meets Bridgewater in next Sunday’s first semi-final at East West Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
The Caz Wood and Olivia Collicoat-coached Bridgewater played Bears-Lagoon Serpentine in Sunday’s elimination final at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
Was a superb effort by first-year coach Danielle O’Toole and the Bears to contest their first A-grade final in 18 years.
On Sunday it was the more experienced Bridgewater team which scored a 36-32 victory.
Elimination final scoreboard:
13-and-under: Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 8 lt Maiden Gully YCW 30.
15-and-under: Marong 35 d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 32.
17-and-under: Maiden Gully YCW v Pyramid Hill (not supplied).
C-reserve: Pyramid Hill 33 lt Bridgewater 38.
C-grade: Marong 51 d Maiden Gully YCW 22.
B-grade: Bridgewater v Maiden Gully YCW (not supplied).
A-grade: Bridgewater 36 d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 32.
Qualifying final scoreboard:
13-and-under: Calivil United 34 d Inglewood 24.
15-and-under: Bridgewater 57 d Maiden Gully YCW 45.
17-and-under: Marong 50 lt Calivil United 53.
C-grade: Newbridge 27 lt Bridgewater 37.
C-reserve: Maiden Gully YCW 41 d Newbridge 26.
B-grade: Marong 49 lt Pyramid Hill 51.
A-grade: Pyramid Hill 44 d Newbridge 41.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Bridgewater:
15-and-under at 10.30am: Calivil United v Bridgewater.
13-and-under at 12pm: Marong v Calivil United.
17-and-under at 12pm: Bridgewater v Calivil United.
C-reserve at 1.30pm: Marong v Maiden Gully YCW.
B-grade at 1.30pm: Newbridge v Pyramid Hill.
C-grade at 3pm: Pyramid Hill v Bridgewater.
A-grade at 3pm: Mitiamo v Pyramid Hill.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at East West Oval, Malone Park, Marong:
15-and-under at 10.30am: Maiden Gully YCW v Marong.
13-and-under at 12pm: Inglewood v Maiden Gully YCW.
17-and-under at 12pm: Marong v TBA
C-reserve at 1.30pm: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
B-grade at 1.30pm: Marong v TBA
C-grade at 3pm: Newbridge v Marong.
A-grade at 3pm: Newbridge v Bridgewater.