The ANZ NFNL Women’s competition has certainly settled into a great rhythm, with Round 3 producing some high-quality matches.
In Division 1, Darebin moved into third position on the ladder with a 12.7 (79) to 2.2 (14) victory over Diamond Creek Women’s. The Falcons came out firing in front of their home supporters, kicking seven goals in a row in a comprehensive first half, before Carla Visona converted for the Creekers midway through the second quarter to end their run of goals. Despite managing to stem the flow of Falcons goals in the second half, the Creekers struggled to match the in-form Falcons. Jessica Zubkevych was fantastic alongside Shannon Egan, who kicked three goals and performed brilliantly in the ruck for the Falcons. Marguerite Hickey played a great game and Kathryn Burns stood tall in defence for the Creekers. Darebin will face Whitehorse in Round 4 and Diamond Creek will travel to Henry Turner Reserve to confront the VU Western Spurs.
Keilor continued its unbeaten run with a dominant 22.23 (155) to 0.0 (0) win over Whitehorse. Keilor recorded a remarkable 9.5 (59) in the first quarter to set up their big win and had all of their tricks on show in a match where they could do no wrong. Gemma Wright and Sarah Wright stood out amongst their many other strong performing teammates for Keilor, while Margaret Kershaw and Tara Reiter battled hard for the Colts. Already sitting on top of the table, Keilor will be keen to return to its own turf to measure its ability against fellow undefeated side Bendigo in Round 4.
Bendigo maintained its perfect record, defeating the VU Western Spurs 11.11 (77) to 1.0 (6). After Bendigo scored four opening-quarter goals, the Spurs were able to restrict their host to just four behinds in the second quarter and kick a goal of their own. However, Bendigo put its foot on the accelerator in the second half, adding seven goals and keeping the Spurs scoreless. Brisbane Lions forward Isabella Ayre kicked five goals in here Bendigo return, while Andrea Walsh contributed another three. Georgia Smith and Mary Sandral couldn’t have tried any harder for the Spurs.
In Division 2, Laurimar put its name back on the winners’ list after recording a 7.3 (45) to 4.10 (34) over Darebin. The Power made the most of their scoring opportunities in the first half, kicking 4.1 while the Falcons managed just 0.4. The Falcons cut the Power’s lead back to 18 points by the end of the third quarter to give themselves a chance. The Falcons had plenty of opportunities to place further scoreboard pressure on the Power in the final quarter but struggled to convert, kicking 2.4, while at the other end the Power landed two goals to ice the match. Ellie Koiker and Tenille Webb continued their great form for the Power, while Kristin Stensholt and Jem Wilson were the Falcons’ best.
South Morang produced the upset of the round with a 3.8 (26) to 2.7 (19) victory over a previously undefeated VU Western Spurs. In an inaccurate first term, the Spurs were left to rue kicking a wasteful 0.5 after controlling the play. After kicking their first goal in the second quarter, the Spurs took an 11-point lead into the main break. The Lions hit back in the second half with a 2.3 third quarter that garnered them a four-point lead heading into the final change. The Lions held their will in the last quarter to finish seven-point winners in a gutsy team effort. Sarah Tarrant and Cassie Hurst were pivotal in getting the Lions back into the contest, while Paige Cooper and Maria Soldatos were excellent for the Spurs. South Morang will confront La Trobe University and the VU Western Spurs will play a crucial match against West Preston-Lakeside in Round 4.
Montmorency will clash with La Trobe University on Anzac Day Eve at Montmorency Park North Oval, with a 7:00pm start to complete Round 3.
In Division 3, in a low-scoring affair the VU Western Spurs came out on top with a 2.3 (15) to 1.4 (10) win over Eltham. The Spurs struck the first blow in the second quarter with a goal that gave them a five-point lead at half time and the Panthers were unable to close the deficit despite fighting hard. Alice Boyd and Jessica McKenzie proved to be invaluable for the Spurs, while Georgia Williver and Jacki White stood out for the Panthers. The win places the Spurs on top of the table ahead of a return home to face Greensborough. Eltham will be looking for its second win against La Trobe University.
La Trobe University registered its first win of the season in an enthralling 6.10 (46) to 5.6 (36) victory over Greensborough. The Boro came out in hot-form to take an 11-point lead after a quarter of football, but La Trobe closed the gap to seven-points after a two-goal second quarter that saw them gain back the momentum. The Boro managed to steady themselves in the third term, converting a goal and then holding their visitors to just two behinds to gain an 11-point advantage by the final change. In a spirted effort, La Trobe fought back to secure three goals and were gallant in defence to keep the Boro to just one behind in a brilliant last quarter of football. Alyssa Symon and Tess O’Brien led from the front for La Trobe, while Giuseppina Tarantello and Nikola Fry were the best performers for Greensborough.
St Mary’s jumped to second on the ladder after a 6.13 (49) to 0.1 (1) win over Mernda. After a slow start, the Burra clicked into gear to control the match and carry on their momentum from last week’s victory. Kaitlyn Willox was best afield and Isabelle Philpott kicked three goals in an excellent display for the Burra. Belinda Smith and Maddison Mills were great for the Demons. The Burra will face the VU Western Spurs next while the Demons will travel to face unbeaten Bundoora.
