Limestone Coast netball fans were treated to a high quality match in Mount Gambier on Saturday night.
The Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre hosted the inaugural Border Challenge, bringing together two premier teams from Victoria and South Australia to compete for bragging rights.
Victorian State League team the Southern Saints took on South Australian State League side Garville in a preseason warm up match as the two sides prepare for the 2025 season.
The event was initially scheduled to feature four matches, spanning under 17 and up, however Victorian bushfires had closed roads leading into SA, with the league side forced to fly to Adelaide and travel to Mount Gambier with their SA opposition.
Both teams had local players participating in the match, with locals Jordyn Adams playing for the Saints and Lucy Denton taking the court for Garville.
Adams was a previous Garville club captain, before joining the Saints where she won a championship, giving the local the chance to take the court against her fellow teammates.
The sides played six 10-miinute quarters in front of a packed grandstand.
It was an even battle between the two sides as the Saints took a 7-5 lead after the first quarter.
At the end of the second quarter Garville was able to close the gap a bit but still trailed by one point with the score 13-12.
In the third term Garville fought hard and took the lead from the Saints with the score 21-19 heading into the fourth quarter.
It was another close battle in the fourth as Denton and Adams faced off in the centre position.
Garville were able to take out their lead in the fourth quarter to be in front of the Saints 28-22.
The Saints rallied to chip away at Garville’s lead in the fifth, cutting it back to four points with the score 31-27 heading into the sixth and final term.
In the final term the SA side finished strong as they stormed home with the win with the final score being 37-33.
The second day of the event featured a super netball clinic, with coaching clinics for coaches and players.