EARLY MFNL A Grade netball pacesetters Bambill continued on their merry way over the weekend with a comfortable 19-goal victory over Meringur at the Mildura Senior College courts.
The Kangaroos were expected to provide a lively challenge to the undefeated Saints after getting off to a useful 2-1 start to the season and sitting second on the ladder, but that failed to truly materialise as Bambill jumped the Roos from the start and were never seriously challenged.
The Saints held a 13-goal lead after the first quarter and incrementally increased that to 52-33 at the final horn.
Tessa Houkamau, Tayla Davison-Armao and Paige Valinoti were named among the victor’s best but it was another even team performance from the ladder leaders who improved their record to 4-0 and look highly likely to be undefeated when the league completes its first third of the season this weekend as they meet 1-3 Gol Gol.
Meringur, led by Susan Wilson, Bella Connell and Emily Birch, saw their record level out at 2-2 and they will face a daunting task to stay above .500 when they travel to second-placed Cardross.
The Lions improved to 3-1 on the season, but not without a scare against struggling reigning premiers Nangiloc at the Cardross courts.
The winless Demons gave the hosts all they could handle and led by two goals heading into the final quarter before falling a heartbreaking shot short, 42-41.
But Ginine Sluiter’s squad can take some heart from a vastly improved performance despite remaining at the bottom of the table.
Sluiter led from the front along with Amber King and Holly Mills, but Cardross’s slight edge in class and late poise shone through with Bronte Burgess, Tamara Hamence and Skye Saunders again numbering among the Lions’ best.
In the day’s other game, out at Lake Cullulleraine, hosts Werrimull squared their ledger at 2-2 with a comfortable victory over Gol Gol.
The Magpies charged out to a 17-5 first quarter lead and were never threatened on their way to a 49-28 stroll.
Erin Sell, Maddison Maher and Jolene Neyland were the standouts for the Pies while Zoe Black, Maka Clarke and Emily Phillips got the nod for the Hawks.
