By RUSSELL BENNETT
ELLINBANK AND DISTRICT NETBALL ASSOCIATION
LANG Lang has further established itself as a finals’ force after a gritty win over Neerim South at the Cattery on Saturday, 39-28.
The scores were all locked up at 10 goals apiece after the first term before the Tigers slowly started to inch away. They took a four-goal lead into the main break and ultimately capitalised with an 11-goal win.
Jordan Reynolds netted 21 goals for the visitors, while Nichole Tomamichel scored 18. Tessa Fusinato, meanwhile, led the way for Neerim South with 13.
The result is Tigers sit in sixth on the ladder after seven games, while the Cats are a win outside the eight.
Poowong remains horribly unflattered by its ladder position after one of the competition’s powerhouses of recent seasons pushed Kooweerup to the brink before ultimately falling short by two goals, 34-32.
In recent weeks the Magpies lost to the steadily-improving Lang Lang by just a goal and were defeated by the impressive Nar Nar Goon – hardly results to be worried about.
But if Poowong is to claim a top-eight spot, the side has to start winning some of these games. The Demons were behind at each of the intervals before reversing the trend in the last. Mariah Bell finished with 22 goals, while Jess Hancock, Abbey McNally and Jaime Perry were the Magpies’ best.
Catani showed plenty of backbone in its three-goal win from a low-scoring game against the Warragul Industrials, 30-27.
The Blues scored just four goals in the first quarter before bouncing back with a 10-goal second term and then holding on when it mattered most.
Rachel Ronaldson starred for Catani, while Hannah Russell netted 19 goals.
Bunyip, meanwhile, backed up its impressive Round-6 triumph over Ellinbank with a clinical 35-goal win over Longwarry on Sunday, 66-31. Taylah Roberts continued her stellar run of form with 34 goals, while Claire Ablett scored 22. Stacey Adams (26 goals) and Shelly Brown, meanwhile, were the standouts for a Longwarry side that was nine-goals in arrears at quarter-time and never really in with a chance of victory.
In the remaining games of the round, Cora Lynn was too strong for Nyora in a 16-goal win, and Nar Nar Goon predictably dominated Nilma Darnum 78-29 with Meg Evans starring with 51 goals.
In Round 8 Catani hosts Bunyip, Nar Nar Goon will take to Pakenham’s courts for a ‘home’ game against Neerim South, Cora Lynn will take on Lang Lang at the showgrounds, the Bankers will travel to Longwarry to face the Crows, Kooweerup will host Buln Buln, and Nyora clashes with the Warragul Industrials.
