THE ability of the Mitiamo Superoos to rebound from defeat will be tested by Bridgewater in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL’s A-grade netball preliminary final on Saturday.
A place in the September 6 grand final at Newbridge is at stake as the Superoos and Mean Machine take to court one at Calivil’s Recreation Reserve at 2pm.
After an unbeaten run across the home-and-away series, Mitiamo’s run at back-to-back premierships struck a significant hurdle last Saturday.
The Superoos could not halt Pyramid Hill’s charge to a 66-49 victory in the second semi-final at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
Bridgewater has fought its way from an elimination final to reach a preliminary final.
The Mean Machine scored a 58-46 against Marong in the elimination final and then beat Newbridge by five goals in last Sunday’s first semi-final at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
The Caz Wood and Olivia Hoiles-coached Bridgewater faces a huge task in upsetting Mitiamo.
In round nine the Superoos won 48-40 on Bridgewater’s court.
The Abbey Battersby and Jess Kaur-coached Mitiamo then marked a 75-44 win on their court at John Forbes Oval in the round 18 showdown with Bridgewater.
In the A-reserve clash it will be Bridgewater against Marong.
This season’s meetings between the teams stand at two-nil in Bridgewater’s favour by margins of two and 11 goals.
After a 13-goal loss to Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the qualifying final, Marong hit back to win the first semi-final against Newbridge by 15 goals.
Bridgewater is on the rebound from a 12-goal loss to Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the second semi-final.
The B-grade showdown features Marong against Pyramid Hill.
The Marong Panthers won the round two clash at Jackal Oval by eight goals.
In round 11 it was Pyramid Hill which marked a 39-27 win on its court in Mitchell Park.
Marong tipped off the finals campaign by scoring a 57-40 win against Newbridge in the qualifying final, but was beaten in the second semi-final clash with Bridgewater by five goals.
The Bulldogs won the elimination final against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by 17 goals and then beat Newbridge by 26 goals in the first semi-final.
Pyramid Hill will face Bridgewater in the B-reserve preliminary final.
The Mean Machine netted wins against the Bulldogs by 11 and seven goals.
After a six-goal loss to Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the qualifying final, Pyramid Hill won last Sunday’s first semi-final against Newbridge by 21 goals.
Bridgewater is on the rebound from a 10-goal loss to the Eagles in the second semi.
It’s the Demons against the Eagles as Calivil United and Maiden Gully YCW contest the 17-and-under preliminary final.
The Demons won both matches in the home-and-away series by eight and 10 goals.
Calivil United is on the rebound from a second semi-final loss to Bridgewater.
The Eagles were beaten in the qualifying final, but hit back to score a 40-39 win against Marong in the first semi.
Marong and Bears-Lagoon Serpentine will meet in the 15-and-under preliminary final.
The Panthers have beaten the Bears by 11 and 25 goals.
On day one of the finals, Marong scored a 30-29 win against Bridgewater in the qualifying final.
The Panthers could not halt Calivil United’s charge to a 20-goal win in the second semi.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine won the elimination final against Maiden Gully YCW by eight goals and then marked a 32-31 victory in first semi against Bridgewater.
It’s two-one in favour of Maiden Gully YCW against Calivil United as they take to the court in the 13-and-under preliminary final.
The Eagles won at Calivil in round one by 13 goals.
In round 10 the Demons fired up for a 40-26 win at Marist College Oval.
Their latest meeting was the qualifying final which went the way of the Eagles, 37-24.
Maiden Gully YCW was beaten in the second semi by Newbridge, while Calivil United scored a 28-24 win against Marong in the first semi.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Calivil Recreation Reserve:
15-under at 10.30am, court one: Marong v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
17-under at 11.45am, court one: Calivil United v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
13-under at noon, court two: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Calivil United.
B-reserve at 1.30pm, court two: Bridgewater v Pyramid Hill.
A-reserve at 1.30pm, court one: Bridgewater v Marong.
B-grade at 3pm, court two: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
A-grade at 3pm, court one: Mitiamo v Bridgewater.