BY NATHAN DOLE
Superoos bounce back to end Machine’s run
MITIAMO struck back to score an emphatic 20-goal win against Bridgewater in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL’s A-grade netball preliminary final on Saturday.
The Jen Wilson-coached Superoos qualified for yet another grand final as they won 50-30 against the Mean Machine at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
It had been a terrific effort by the Caz Wood and Olivia Collicoat-coached Bridgewater to make its way from an elimination final to the second-last day of the season.
Bridgewater’s run in the finals began with a 36-32 win against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine in the elimination final.
A week later and the Mean Machine rolled to a 58-38 victory in the first semi-final against Newbridge.
The previous day and Mitiamo had been upset by Pyramid Hill, 55-46 in the second semi-final.
On preliminary final day it was the Superoos who held sway in all thirds of the court for a lot of the contest.
Mitiamo now takes on the Chelsea Emmerson-coached Pyramid Hill in Saturday’s grand final at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
It was a memorable preliminary final day for Marong as the Panthers had four teams progress to that one day in September.
Marong won the B-grade clash with Pyramid Hill by four goals.
It was a one-goal thriller in C-grade as the Panthers clawed their way to a 36-35 victory against Pyramid Hill.
Marong beat Bridgewater by seven goals in the C-reserve play-off.
The Panthers also made their way into the 17-and-under decider after a 34-32 win against Bridgewater.
Calivil United will be represented by three teams on grand final.
The Demons’ 15-and-under and 13-and-under teams will join the 17-and-under team wearing the red and blue on grand final day.
Calivil United won the 15-and-under preliminary final against Maiden Gully YCW by 23 goals.
In the 13-and-under competition the Demons marked a 33-31 win against Inglewood on the Blues’ court.
Loddon Valley FNL netball preliminary finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Mitiamo 50 d Bridgewater 30.
B-grade: Marong 44 d Pyramid Hill 40.
C-grade: Marong 36 d Pyramid Hill 35.
C-reserve: Marong 33 d Bridgewater 26.
17-and-under: Marong 34 d Bridgewater 32.
15-and-under: Calivil United 50 d Maiden Gully YCW 27.
13-and-under: Calivil United 33 d Inglewood 21.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at John Forbes Oval, Mitiamo:
17-and-under at 10am, court one: Calivil United v Marong.
13-and-under at 10am, court two: Marong v Calivil United.
15-and-under at 11.45am, court one: Bridgewater v Calivil United.
C-grade at 11.45am, court two: Bridgewater v Marong.
B-grade at 1.30pm, court one: Newbridge v Marong.
C-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Maiden Gully YCW v Marong.
A-grade at 3.15pm, court one: Pyramid Hill v Mitiamo.