The closest margin in Mid South East Netball Association round nine action was 16 points, with three of the four games ending in blow outs.
Hatherleigh defeated Tantanoola by 16, Glencoe ran out 65-41 winners against Kongorong, Nangwarry went down 25-78 to Kalangadoo and Robe came away with a convincing 31 goal win over Mount Burr.
Tantanoola v Hatherleigh
In blustery conditions that made clean ball movement and shooting accuracy a challenge, Hatherleigh and Tantanoola opened their contest with a tightly fought first quarter.
Tantanoola had the opening centre pass but could not convert and both sides experienced early turnovers as they adjusted to the wind.
Olivia Slattery made a confident start for Hatherleigh, holding strong under the post and ensuring her attempts were from close range to counter the conditions.
Bella Poulish sparked Tantanoola’s defence with key intercepts outside the circle, disrupting Hatherleigh’s attacking rhythm.
The Tigers fielded a different attacking combination than in recent weeks, with Shelby Ryan and Jami Walker in goals.
The experienced Casey Walker and youngster Molly Cushion showed composure feeding into the circle, taking time to place the ball carefully.
At the other end, Hatherleigh’s Tegan Telfer, Rosie Nettle and Demi Vanderhorst worked patiently to move the ball into Slattery, who remained a reliable target under pressure.
A sharp tip from Erin Watson in the second quarter resulted in a timely turnover and goal for the Eagles.
Tantanoola suffered a setback late in the term when Cushion left the court with cramp, forcing youngster Alice Allen into the centre role for the final three minutes.
Jami Walker’s confidence showed with some impressive long-range shooting, and despite the disruption, the Tigers stayed in the contest.
At the main break, Hatherleigh held a 27-23 lead.
Cushion returned in the third quarter and worked tirelessly through the midcourt, including several well-timed intercepts.
Hatherleigh introduced Kallie Nettle at goal attack for Vanderhorst, bringing lively movement in the circle.
Poulish continued to make an impact with further intercepts, while defenders Olivia Wormald and Lara MacGregor returned the favour for Hatherleigh by picking off any wayward passes.
The final quarter saw Hatherleigh step up their intensity.
Wormald dominated with strong rebounds and the Eagles transitioned quickly into attack.
Slattery remained a commanding presence in the goal circle, continuing to convert reliably under pressure.
Hatherleigh extended their lead by six goals in the final term to secure a convincing 56-40 win.
Best players for Tantanoola were Bella Poulish and Molly Cushion, and for Hatherleigh it was Olivia Slattery and Olivia Wormald.
Kongorong v Glencoe
The Kongorong Hawks hosted the Glencoe Murphies in a fiercely contested match.
Glencoe opened with intensity, capitalising on early turnovers to secure the first few goals of the game.
While Kongorong responded quickly to steady the momentum, it was Glencoe who held a six-goal lead by quarter time, finishing 18-12.
Mahli Pannenberg was a strong focal point under the post for the Hawks, converting eight of her nine attempts.
At the opposite end, Chantelle Cocks was clinical for Glencoe, finishing the quarter with a perfect 11 from 11.
Midcourt matchups were tight, particularly the clash between Donna Jaeschke and Ashlee Schwertfeger in centre.
On the defensive wing, Caitlyn Shanks for Kongorong made her presence known with early deflections in her contest against Glencoe’s agile wing attack Zoe Mulraney.
Glencoe GA Jenna Paproth also impressed with her clever positioning and timely assists.
Heading into the second quarter, Glencoe extended their lead thanks to the composure and accuracy of their attacking end.
Chantelle Cocks and Jenna Paproth continued their dominant form, combining for a 14 from 15 shooting performance.
Despite solid defensive efforts from Kongorong’s Rach Perry and Emily Lightbody, who worked hard to disrupt the Glencoe shooters and scoop up loose balls, the Hawks could not convert enough of their opportunities.
Ashlee Schwertfeger and Samantha Ham remained composed in Kongorong’s midcourt, displaying patience and smart feeding into the ring.
Glencoe’s Sarah Edwards proved a key figure in their backline, consistently winning back missed shots and keeping Kongorong’s shooters under pressure.
A notable moment came when Donna Jaeschke returned to the court after a blood rule and calmly resumed control through the centre.
Meanwhile, Mikaela Pitt made her presence felt in the defensive circle, matching up on the tall and accurate Mahli Pannenberg.
By half time, Glencoe had pushed their lead to 32-22.
The third quarter saw no changes to either lineup, with both sides settling into consistent and structured play.
Glencoe displayed greater patience and decision-making in attack, allowing them to continue pulling away.
Chantelle Cocks dominated the shooting circle, putting up 20 attempts for the quarter, supported by strong positioning and vision from Jenna Paproth.
For the Hawks, Mahli Pannenberg remained steady, scoring 10 from 11 and maintaining a strong presence against a physical Glencoe defence.
On the turnover front, Mikaela Pitt and Sarah Edwards were relentless, snatching up stray passes and hunting every loose ball.
In Kongorong’s front court, Evie Sealey and Samantha Ham pressured hard early in the quarter, managing to cause a few turnovers and keep their side in the fight.
Down the court, the ongoing duel between Rach Perry and Jenna Paproth was a highlight, with both players refusing to give an inch.
Glencoe extended their lead to 49-34 heading into the final term.
Glencoe continued their clinical approach in the last quarter and closed the game out convincingly.
Chantelle Cocks was again the standout, continuing to convert reliably despite constant pressure from Emily Lightbody, who worked tirelessly in the GK position to win back ball and challenge every shot.
Kongorong’s defensive structures lifted, with Caitlyn Shanks and Ashlee Schwertfeger combining well to stem Glencoe’s flow through the centre.
However, Glencoe’s defensive transition, spearheaded by Sarah Edwards, was seamless.
Edwards not only picked off stray passes but also transitioned the ball into attack efficiently, linking well with Donna Jaeschke and Zoe Mulraney.
Mikaela Pitt produced a commanding performance at the back, creating several key turnovers that prevented any late surge from the Hawks.
Despite a spirited final effort, Kongorong could not close the gap, and Glencoe ran out 65-41 winners.
Best players for Kongorong were Caitlyn Shanks and Mahli Pannenberg, and for Glencoe it was Mikaela Pitt and Sarah Edwards.
Mount Burr v Robe
The game was played in cold yet dry conditions which made for a fast paced game.
It took time for the teams to settle with both defensive ends taking turnovers.
Robe settled and was the first to score, and the Roosters’ WD Hallie Carter and GD Emma Wheal contested the ball to create turnovers which Robe were able to convert.
Mount Burr’s GS Ebony Clark held strongly to create opportunities in goals.
Robe had a seven goal lead at quarter time.
The second quarter saw Robe’s Annie Regnier and the Burr’s Laura Schultz work hard through the centre for their respective teams, creating space and drive onto circle edge.
Both sides had patience with the ball, allowing goalies to secure scoring opportunities.
Robe used their strength to move the ball quickly and convert on rebounds from Wheal and keeper Kimberly Austin, with the Roosters extending their lead by five at half time.
Robe stepped up their defensive pressure through the mid court in the third quarter, creating turnovers, which were converted with both Demi Carter and Sarah Laurie sharing the scoring.
Schultz went to WA and positioned well on circle’s edge to feed Mount Burr’s goalies, however Wheal created turnovers as the Mozzies’ goalies attempted to work the ball closer to the post.
The Roosters extended their lead to 20 at three quarter time.
The final quarter saw Laurie as the focal point in the circle being fed with accuracy.
Ashlee Dean moved to GA for Mount Burr, giving drive into the ring with Danika Shepherd driving and feeding from WA.
Robe continued to work hard defensively to limit the Burr’s flow, moving the ball quickly into their attack line with the Roosters coming away with a convincing 42-73 win.
Nangwarry v Kalangadoo
Nangwarry and Kalangadoo came together in round nine to play in the second annual Mental Health Awareness Match.
The teams both donned either green tape or ribbons to show their support and raising awareness about the importance of mental health.
To start this game, on what was the coldest match of the season so far, both teams were set to come out strong and show some amazing skills.
Kalangadoo were the first to score, with Ebony McDiarmid holding strong and using her height to pull in some great passes.
McDiarmid was the shooter that all opposition dread, shooting with 100% accuracy and scoring an impressive 15 for the first quarter.
Shayden Russell, a super skilled youngster, helped McDiarmid with impressive moving and passing in the circle, scoring five herself for the quarter.
But as those two girls worked hard for the Magpies, Alice Circelli and Kate Biszko for the Saints brought just as much strength against them playing in defence.
Circelli and Biszko looked like they had played together for years, both worked overtime to try and get their hands on as many balls as possible and were often only a whisker away from intercepts.
Another up and coming star Skye Virtanen at centre for the Saints was up against the experienced and talented Abbey Duncan.
It was a great tussle between the two players.
Duncan showing her domination on the circle in attack, with speed and impressive passes into her goalies.
Virtanen doing the same down the other end, working tirelessly trying to help her shooters out.
The Saints goalies had a bit more trouble finding their feet in the ring, but Emalee Stocker and Jess Stutley did not give up, shooting five between them for the first term.
Neither team made a change to their team at the first break.
Jayde Peacock, at WA for Kalangadoo, showed her talents and strength at centre passes.
Her speed onto the circle was impressive.
But Claire Ferguson, at WD for the Saints, gave her absolute all and pulled in some intercepts and worked hard to try and get to any loose balls.
The combination of Ferguson, Circelli and Biszko in defence for Nangwarry, not just for the second quarter, but for the entire game, was some of the best that Nangwarry has seen for this season.
But, as hard as these girls tried, the accuracy and work put in by McDiarmid and Russell helped the Magpies add another 17 to their score.
Down the other end of the court Georgia Gentile in at GK and Lara Munro at GD for the Pies showed some impressive reading of the play, picking off passes and also getting rebounds from the Saints.
With their impressive work, Nangwarry’s Stocker and Stutley had to step up their game, which they both did.
Both players never gave up and encouraged each other throughout the entire match.
These two were able to add another seven to the scoreboard.
This quarter was another great battle between Duncan and Virtanen, both showing amazing talent and fitness throughout the court.
Kalangadoo was up 37-12 at the main break and were the only team to make any changes.
Peacock making the move back into GK, Gentile to GD and another super talented junior Lucy Egan was brought into the action at WA.
Egan, using her height and reach, was able to pull in some passes defensively, as well as working well on the circle as an attacker.
Ferguson still worked hard to try and slow the game down for the Saints in at WD.
Biszko was able to take some impressive intercepts in the circle.
Circelli worked tirelessly at GD, proving that she is a force to be reckoned with as a defender and showed her speed when Nangwarry were able to turn the ball over.
But once McDiarmid and Russell were in range of the goals, they were unstoppable, both players shooting 10 for the term and both only missing one for the quarter.
Stocker showed strength in the circle, holding well and using her voice to motivate her team.
Gentile was a weapon for the Magpies, getting impressive intercepts and moving beautifully down the court once it was turned over.
Stutley shot with 100% accuracy for the quarter, shooting three and adding to the seven for the term for the Saints.
Maddi Stephens showed great skill in at WA for Nangwarry, taking on some advice and then showing her strength, exactly what any coach would be proud of.
The final break was the last time changes were made, with Egan moving into WD, swapping places with Jane Auld who moved into WA.
Auld did not disappoint.
She came out strong and fast for each centre pass, had amazing passes into the goalies and worked hard as a defensive player as well.
Egan was able to use her height in at WD, getting her hands to multiple passes from her three feet.
Duncan and Virtanen yet again worked for the entire quarter and made an impact for both their teams.
Biszko was again a pain for the Magpies down in defence, with Circelli backing her up every pass and moving well in the circle together.
But even with their hard work, nothing could stop the goals being scored once in range for the Pies.
McDiarmid impressed yet again with 100% accuracy and shooting 14.
Russell, almost just as impressive, missing only one for the final term and scoring seven.
Stocker and Stutley scored six for the quarter, but not once showed signs of giving up.
Nangwarry have been showing improvement each and every game, and Kalangadoo proved exactly why they are up towards the top of the ladder with a final score of 25-78.
Both teams showed amazing talent and strength through the entire game.
The teamwork and sportsmanship from both teams needs to be mentioned, especially on a day of raising mental health awareness.
An award for this momentous day was to go to a player from either club, with the much-deserved accolade presented to Ebony McDiarmid.
Best Players for Nangwarry were Claire Ferguson and Alice Circelli, and for Kalangadoo it was Jayde Peacock and Georgia Gentile.
