PYRAMID Hill broke Mitiamo’s unbeaten streak in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL’s A-grade netball second semi-final on Saturday in Serpentine.
After a 16-match winning run across the home-and-away series, Mitiamo was hot favourite to beat the Bulldogs at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
A Mitiamo team coached by Abbey Battersby and Jess Kaur had scored 65-55 and 59-57 victories against Pyramid Hill in the home-and-away series.
Mitiamo had a rest in week one of the finals series as Pyramid Hill won the qualifying final showdown with Newbridge by 16 goals.
Being first to the September 6 grand final was at stake as Mitiamo and Pyramid Hill clashed in the second semi-final.
The Chelsea Emmerson, Simone Edgley and Laura Herbert-coached Pyramid Hill teamed superbly.
By the final whistle the team in red, white and blue led 66-49.
On Sunday it was Bridgewater which stayed in the premiership race as it beat Newbridge in the first semi-final by five goals.
The Mean Machine and Maroons played at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
It had been one-all across the home-and-away series.
Newbridge won the round seven match on its court at Deepcore Drilling Riverside Oval by three goals.
When the first semi-finalists met again in the 16th round it was Bridgewater which dominated at home to claim a 62-38 victory.
On day two of the finals series the Caz Wood and Olivia Hoiles-coached Bridgewater scored a 58-46 win against Marong in the elimination final.
Newbridge was on the rebound from a 16-goal loss to Pyramid Hill in the qualifying final as it took to the court on Sunday.
The Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy-coached Newbridge worked hard, but it was Bridgewater which fought on for a 49-44 victory.
Loddon Valley DFNL netball second semi-finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Pyramid Hill 66 d Mitiamo 49.
A-reserve: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 66 d Bridgewater 54.
B-grade: Bridgewater 41 d Marong 36.
B-reserve: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 36 d Bridgewater 26.
17-and-under: Bridgewater 52 d Calivil United 42.
15-and-under: Calivil United 52 d Marong 32.
13-and-under: Newbridge 33 d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 25.
Loddon Valley DFNL netball first semi-finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Bridgewater 49 d Newbridge 44.
A-reserve: Marong 49 d Newbridge 34.
B-grade: Pyramid Hill 51 d Newbridge 25.
B-reserve: Pyramid Hill 52 d Newbridge 31.
17-and-under: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 40 d Marong 39.
15-and-under: Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 32 d Bridgewater 31.
13-and-under: Calivil United 28 d Marong 24.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Calivil Recreation Reserve:
15-and-under at 10.30am, court one: Marong v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
17-and-under at noon, court one: Calivil United v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
15-and-under at noon, court two: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Calivil United.
A-reserve at 1.30pm, court one: Bridgewater v Marong.
B-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Bridgewater v Pyramid Hill.
B-grade at 3pm, court two: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
A-grade at 3pm, court one: Mitiamo v Bridgewater.
Five clubs have teams through to the September 6 grand finals at Newbridge’s Deepcore Drilling Riverside Oval.
Pyramid Hill will be in the A-grade play-off, with Bridgewater into the B-grade and 17-under grand finals.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles have clinched grand final berths in A-reserve and B-reserve.
Calivil United is in the 15-and-under grand final, and Newbridge into the 13-and-under match to be played on its courts.