Kilmore secured a commanding 59-point victory over South Morang in their Cleaning Melbourne Division 2 Women’s clash at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
Putting on a four-quarter performance, Kilmore claimed a 14.12 (96) to 4.13 (37) win on Sunday afternoon.
It was a highly anticipated contest between the two sides sitting inside the top four, with Kilmore starting the round in third and South Morang just behind in fourth.
Yet the match quickly leant in Kilmore’s favour, as their ball movement, forward pressure and ability to dominate inside 50 was too much for the Lions.
From the outset, Kilmore set the tone with a strong first quarter, kicking early goals and refusing South Morang clean entries into their forward line.
Despite many early chances, the Lions couldn’t convert until a clever goal from Maddison Wright finally put some pressure on the scoreboard.
Kilmore’s forward structure was relentless, with standout plays from Naomi Whalan who was untouchable with the ball.
Brielle Kinnear’s goal on the run and effective positioning from Chloe Talbot helped Kilmore to a strong lead at the first break.
In the second term, Kilmore’s midfield dominance continued to emerge. Jessica Vilinskis and Shenay Reeves continued to drive the ball inside 50 with precision, while Chiara Nardo put her third major before halftime.
South Morang showed patches of resistance through Rhianna Bennett and Hailey Cordova, with better ball movement and tackling pressure.
However, missed opportunities of goals meant their effort wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard. At halftime, the scoring shots were identical, but the difference in execution was distinct.
Tahlia Pyle and Macey Kubeil were clean and composed in switching the ball, while Chiara Nardo added to her goal tally with a classy finish early in the quarter.
South Morang tried to stop Kilmore’s momentum as the pressure started to lift, with Mikayla Bennett and Ruby Failla lifting their intensity around the contest.
Ella Pinney provided pressure up forward and helped keep the ball in South Morang’s half towards late in the term, however Kilmore’s ability to maintain possession allowed them to regain control and extend their lead.
South Morang struggled to hit the scoreboard in the 4th quarter with only 3 goals and 13 points, managing just one goal in the last term. Isabella Chessler and Rhianna Bennett continued to fight hard through the middle.
A late goal to Shenay Reeves topped off a dominant performance by the visitors, along with their consistent and outstanding marking abilities,
Kilmore’s forward spread, elite ball use and ability to cover the ground saw them run out convincing winners.
Kilmore continue to assert themselves as a premiership threat as they strengthen their place inside the top three and build an important percentage.
While the home side need to stay on track to make a difference on the ladder and will look to quickly bounce back.
