NETBALL
VNL
By ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC
THE Gippsland Stars won the regional rumble last Wednesday, March 13, after defeating Bendigo Strikers, a fellow Victorian Netball League newcomer, to record the first win in their history, 58-54.
In their Round 2 game, the magic happened in the Stars midcourt, with Morwell’s Chloe Radford and Drouin’s Ava Gaul working in perfect unison to get the ball on the circle edge.
Bairsndale’s Paris Dunkley was also on fire, giving the Strikers grief as she dominated her time in centre and wing defence.
The game was very tight, with the Bendigo team never far off the mark but the Gippslanders did what they do best and powered on through to go home with the win.
Defender, Lucy McKellar was the Gippsland Stars Player of the Match for exceptional work in closing down the Strikers’ attack.
The win sees the Stars go to the ninth spot on the ladder over Peninsula in 10th, Casey in 11th, and the Strikers in 12th.
The Gippsland Stars team is excited by the win, stating that the young Gippsland team showed many promising signs of success in their win against Bendigo.
The Strikers will now take on the Box Hill Hawks tonight (Wednesday, March, 20).
For locals in other teams, Championship Melbourne University Lightning’s and Moe Football Netball Club player-coach Ramayer Gourley has impressed in the opening rounds, the former Victorian Fury and Collingwood Magpies ANC representative demonstrated her versatility at both ends of the court.
Lightning coach Tegan Hopkins has the luxury of swinging Gourley from defence to attack, where her goalers will face a tenacious Cougars defensive end, including the in-form Brooke Allan this week.
Gourley was dominant in last week’s win over Casey Demons, scoring 36 goals at 92 per cent accuracy.
