BY NATHAN DOLE
Pyramid tries to halt Mitiamo’s charge
PYRAMID Hill will be striving to halt Mitiamo’s charge into the A-grade netball grand final when they meet in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL’s second semi-final on Saturday.
The Bulldogs and Superoos will play at Bridgewater from 3pm.
The Chelsea Emmerson-coached Pyramid Hill faces a huge challenge against Mitiamo.
A 15-1 record meant the Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo ended the home-and-away series on top of the ladder had a rest in last weekend’s start to the finals campaign.
As the Superoos were on the sidelines, Pyramid Hill scored a 44-41 victory against Newbridge in the qualifying final at Marist College in Maiden Gully.
This season’s meetings between Mitiamo and Pyramid Hill stand at one-all.
A 54-49 victory by Pyramid Hill on Mitiamo’s court at John Forbes Oval in round five is the Superoos’ sole defeat of the season.
When the second semi-finalists met in round 14 it was Mitiamo which won a closely-fought match, 49-43 at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
Newbridge takes on Bridgewater in Sunday’s first semi-final at East West Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
The Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy-coached Newbridge is on the rebound from a qualifying final loss of just three goals against Pyramid Hill.
Bridgewater stayed in the race after a 36-32 victory in an elimination final affected by rain and lightning against the Danielle O’Toole-coached Bears-Lagoon Serpentine at Pyramid Hill.
It’s one-all in this season’s meeting between Newbridge and Bridgewater.
The Maroons won 37-26 in the season opener on Bridgewater’s court.
In round 10 it was the Caz Wood and Olivia Collicoat-coached Mean Machine which dominated play to record a 57-23 win at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
In the B-grade competition, Newbridge takes on Pyramid Hill in the second semi-final.
A win-loss tally of 14-2 assured Newbridge of top spot on the ladder and a rest last weekend.
Pyramid Hill won a hard-fought qualifying final against Marong, 51-49.
First match between Newbridge and Pyramid Hill this season was Reconciliation Round on May 25.
The Maroons won 47-35 on Pyramid Hill’s court.
In round 16, Newbridge charged to a 48-36 victory at home against the Bulldogs.
On Sunday it will be Marong against Bridgewater in the B-grade first semi-final.
It was an 18-goal win for Bridgewater against Maiden Gully YCW in the elimination final.
Just two goals separated the Panthers and Mean Machine when they met in round six.
Marong won 47-45 at East West Oval in Malone Park.
The Panthers scored a 49-46 victory in the 15th round at Bridgewater.
It’s Pyramid Hill against Bridgewater in the C-grade second semi-final.
The Mean Machine marked a 37-27 win against Newbridge in the qualifying final.
Scores were 31-all when Pyramid Hill hosted Bridgewater in round four.
The round 13 showdown ended in a 46-35 win for the red, white and blue on Bridgewater’s court.
Sunday’s first semi-final features Newbridge against Marong.
The Panthers stayed in the race as they marked a 51-22 victory against Maiden Gully YCW in the elimination final.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between Newbridge and Marong.
The Maroons won 48-36 in round two, but Marong hit back for a 55-44 result next time.
Second semi-final day includes the C-reserve clash between Marong and Maiden Gully YCW.
The Eagles from Maiden Gully YCW scored a 41-26 win against Newbridge in the qualifying final.
This season’s meetings between the Panthers and Eagles were won by Marong, 48-20 and 41-38.
Newbridge meets Bridgewater in the first semi-final.
The Mean Machine held on for a 38-33 win against Pyramid Hill in the elimination final.
The Maroons start favourite following wins by eight and six goals against the red and white in the home-and-away series.
It will be Bridgewater or Calivil United which reaches the 17-and-under grand final first after they play on Saturday.
The Mean Machine has home-court advantage against the Demons.
Calivil United began its finals campaign by scoring a 53-50 win against Marong in the qualifying final.
In round nine, Bridgewater won 56-39 in the Demons’ den at Calivil.
A showdown in round 18 ended in a 57-46 for the red and blue on Bridgewater’s court.
Marong faces Pyramid Hill in Sunday’s first semi-final.
The Panthers are on the rebound from defeat against an opponent which won the elimination final against Maiden Gully YCW by 14 goals.
Marong and Pyramid Hill met in Anzac Round which ended in a 44-31 for the Panthers at home.
In round 12, Marong won 43-33 on the Bulldogs’ court.
Calivil United takes on Bridgewater in the 15-and-under second semi-final.
An unbeaten run by Calivil United included wins against Bridgewater by margins of 11 and two goals in rounds nine and 18.
The Mean Machine won the qualifying final against Maiden Gully YCW by 12 goals.
Maiden Gully YCW will aim to bounce back when it plays Marong in the first semi-final.
A closely-fought elimination final between Marong and Bears-Lagoon Serpentine went the way of the Panthers, 35-32.
The Panthers beat the Eagles by three goals in round seven, but Maiden Gully YCW hit back for a 49-35 victory at Marong in the 16th round.
Identical win-loss records of 13-1 meant Marong and Calivil United were one-two on the 13-and-under ladder.
The Panthers and Demons meet in the second semi-final.
Calivil United scored a 34-24 win against Inglewood in the qualifying final.
The Demons beat the Panthers by two goals in round five, and Marong won the 14th round clash by three goals.
Inglewood faces Maiden Gully YCW in the first semi-final.
The Eagles dominated the elimination final against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine to win by 22 goals.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Blues and Eagles.
Inglewood won 26-20 in round five, and the Eagles claimed a 28-26 victory at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval in the 14th round.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Bridgewater:
15-and-under at 10.30am, court one: Calivil United v Bridgewater.
13-and-under at 12pm, court two: Marong v Calivil United.
17-and-under at 12pm, court one: Bridgewater v Calivil United.
B-grade at 1.30pm, court one: Newbridge v Pyramid Hill.
C-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Marong v Maiden Gully YCW.
C-grade at 3pm, court two: Pyramid Hill v Bridgewater.
A-grade at 3pm, court one: Mitiamo v Pyramid Hill.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at East West Oval, Malone Park, Marong:
15-and-under at 10.30am, court one: Maiden Gully YCW v Marong.
13-and-under at 12pm, court two: Inglewood v Maiden Gully YCW.
17-and-under at 12pm, court one: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
B-grade at 1.30pm, court one: Marong v Bridgewater.
C-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
C-grade at 3pm, court two: Newbridge v Marong.
A-grade at 3pm, court one: Newbridge v Bridgewater.