Round 11 Mid South East Netball results were split on the weekend, with two close tussles and two blow outs.
All eyes were on the match of the round at Glencoe, with the Murphies hosting Robe following their draw earlier in the season.
However, the tight tussle did not quite eventuate, with the home side downing the Roosters 69-46.
In other games Kongorong lost to Hatherleigh 23-60, Kalangadoo defeated Mount Burr 58-47 and Port MacDonnell proved too strong for Nangwarry, winning 73-2.
Glencoe v Robe
After a draw in Round 1 the rematch between top four sides Glencoe and Robe was highly anticipated to be another close encounter.
Both sides got off to a good start with the defensive ends of Caitlin Hentschke and Sarah Edwards for Glencoe and Robe’s Alannah Jennings and Emilie Gould getting early turnover ball for their respective sides.
It was the Roosters who were able to capitalise this on scoreboard and gave themselves a small early buffer.
The Murphies settled into the game and adjusted to a shorter style of play to combat the wet weather conditions, led by Donna Jaeschke in the middle.
Hentschke and Edwards continued to work overtime to limit the scoring opportunities for Sarah Laurie and Ashlee Hunt, keeping Robe to just eight goals going into the first break, while the Murphies converted 17 of their own.
Robe came out of the first break with intent to turn the game around.
Laurie lifted her work-rate in the goal circle and started to own the front space.
She was ably fed by Lucy Perkins who was doing a load of work to get the ball to circle’s edge and feed in patiently.
Despite the lift in the Roosters’ attack line the scoreline was similar to the opening quarter as turnovers were hard to come by down the Glencoe attack end.
Chantelle Cocks and Jenna Paproth worked in tangent to open up the post and made the most of their opportunities, converting another 17 goals at 100% accuracy for the quarter.
Glencoe headed into the main break with 34 goals to Robe’s 20.
In the second half, Robe switched Laurie out to goal attack and moved Hunt back to goal shooter.
Laurie continued to be the focal point in the Robe goal circle.
Glencoe tightened up their defence and forced Robe into error.
The rain continued to come down making for tricky netball conditions.
This forced loose balls which Glencoe worked hard to be first to.
Cocks was strong on the hold for Glencoe despite the pressure being applied by Jennings and continued to be fed well by Jaeschke and Ashlea Pfitzner.
With Glencoe again taking control of the quarter, Robe made a tactical change with Annie Regnier and Perkins swapping bibs.
Heading into the final break Glencoe was up 54-30.
Regnier and Perkins returned to their more familiar positions for the final quarter which proved to be an even 15 minutes.
Halfway through the quarter Jaeschke left the court and was replaced by Alice Tentye in the centre and Zoe Mulraney at wing defence.
The change caused some disruption to the Glencoe attack line and allowed the Robe defensive line to pick up some ball.
Once the Murphies settled to the change the remainder of the game went goal for goal.
But the damage had been done as Glencoe had set up a comprehensive lead early the Roosters were unable to claw back, with the Murphies taking the win 69-46.
Best players for Glencoe were Jaeschke and Cocks, while Perkins and Jennings took the honours for Robe.
Kalangadoo v Mount Burr
Mount Burr travelled to Kalangadoo on Saturday to take on the reigning premiers.
The game started off at a high intensity with Kalangadoo sinking the first goal, with Ebony McDiarmid being a focal point early.
Mount Burr goalies of Madi Haggett and Danika Shepherd worked hard to find space but with a few errors and tight defensive pressure from the Pies they found themselves 22-8 down at the first break.
Both teams came out with the same intensity in the second quarter with all four goalies finding good rhythm.
Jayde Peacock and Laura Schultz had a good tussle in the mid court with both players being patient and controlling their respective side’s attack.
As the bad weather set in both sides needed to adapt and change their games and Mount Burr found more of a rhythm having a strong quarter to peel the score line back.
At the half time break Kalangadoo led 34-21.
The Pies upped their intensity in the third and fourth quarters, with Abbey Duncan being a play-maker in the host’s attack, along with Sophie Wrightson and Peacock who combined to feed into McDiarmid.
At the other end of the court Haggett and Shepherd were accurate under goals for Mount Burr despite the tight defensive pressure from Georgia Gentile and Georgia Duncan.
Ella Easterby and Shultz worked hard finding space in their attack.
Despite the Magpies’ pressure, the Mozzies went down fighting after having a great last quarter, with the experienced Pies taking the win 59-48.
Georgia Gentile and Ebony McDiarmid were named best on court for the Pies, with Laura Schultz and Ella Easterby the Mozzie’s best.
Nangwarry v Port MacDonnell
Heading into the second half of the 2024 season, Nangwarry and Port MacDonnell were both keen to start the game strong and make an impression on their opposition.
The Saints started the game with the centre pass, but after a few passes down the court, Port Mac was able to take an intercept and get the ball back to their shooters, scoring first.
Despite some amazing pressure from the Nangwarry defenders in the circle, they were unable to slow down the flow and hard work of the Demons.
Port Mac’s Megan Hein’s accuracy was impressive, shooting 13 of the 18 in the first quarter while Nangwarry were kept scoreless.
The Saints were the only team to make a change at the first break, bringing Maddi Stephens into centre and giving young gun Alice Circelli a break.
The Demons came out from the break firing again and their constant pressure over the ball and great reading of the game play made it almost impossible for the young Nangwarry team to get the ball into their goalies.
Youngster Jemma Glynn worked overtime in at GD for the Saints, combining well with her teammate Kayla Gray at GK, making Hein and Kori Collins work hard to score.
Nangwarry were kept scoreless again in this quarter, while Port Mac were able to add 15 to their score.
The main break saw both teams make a few changes.
Nangwarry were able find the ring and score their first for the game, but it was just the one goal in the term.
The Saints came out with a little more positivity in this quarter, talking more and looking like they were enjoying themselves.
But Port MacDonnell did not up back off their intensity and strength all the way down the court with every player showing amazing skills and experience.
The Demons were able to add an impressive 26 to their score.
The Saints were again the only team to make and changes at the final break and were able to get themselves another goal in this quarter, coming from Lacey Neale who had been moved from defence into GS.
Port MacDonnell’s Collins at GS converted nine from the 13 for the Bay.
All Demons players played an impressive, skilful game, but the score for the young Saints team did not project the improvement that has been made throughout the season.
Port MacDonnell secured the win 73-2.
The Saints best players were Jemma Glynn and Lacey Neale, and for Port Mac it was Megan Hein and Alana Berkfeld.
Kongorong v Hatherleigh
The Hawks hosted the Eagles in very wet conditions, with the first quarter proving an even tussle that had Hatherleigh more accurate in the goal circle and converting their turnovers.
The Eagles moved the ball through the centre court with consistent feeding into the circle, resulting in them being in front 12-6 at quarter time.
In the second quarter there was defensive pressure from both ends with Emily Lightbody and Rach Perry working hard for the Hawks, but the accurate shooting from Ellysia Redden saw the Eagles increase their lead by 13, giving the Hawks some work to do after half time.
The third quarter was all Hatherleigh with some amazing shooting from both Bree Harris and Redden.
The Eagles’ feeding into the circle from Erin Watson had the Hawks working hard to stop the flow.
Some tactical changes from Kongorong switching Tilah Buckingham in defence set the scene for an interesting fourth quarter.
In the final term the Hawks slowed the flow with some position changes, but the Eagles demonstrated accurate shooting and movement down the court to land a 37-goal win, 60-23.
Rach Perry and Emily Lightbody were named Kongorong’s best, with Bree Harris and Erin Watson taking the honours for Hatherleigh.
