Kilmore 2 have opened their winter netball season in dramatic style, clinging on to a one goal victory over Montmorency 3 at RMIT University.
It was a tight affair all night and despite scoring less goals in the final quarter, the Blues did enough to record a classic 31-30 triumph.
Goal attack Rebecca Tretz finished the night with 20 goals, combining well with goal shooter Emma Brooking who finished with 11. Fresh off her best on ground performance for Kilmore in their Section 5 summer netball premiership win, Macy Byrnes continued to impress.
Tarryn Thom was the most damaging in attack for the Magpies, with the goal shooter finishing with 19 goals, while Paige Burrell contributed with 11 goals.
The two sides shot the lights out in the first quarter, with both Burrell and Thom and Brooking and Tretz taking every opportunity on goal. While it was high-scoring, no side could run away with it and quarter time saw Kilmore 2 hold a one-goal lead.
The second term was more of a defensive grind. Montmorency’s Briany Derwent did well to limit Kilmore’s Brooking to just one goal, while the same could be said for goal defence Emily King, who kept Burrell scoreless in the second quarter.
Trailing by three goals at half time, Montmorency stepped up their game in the third term, scoring a quarter high 8 goals and giving themselves every chance heading into the final change just two goals down.
In a frantic final term, just 11 goals were scored between the two sides and while the Magpies won the quarter again, four crucial goals from Tretz helped the Blues escape with a one goal win.
Kilmore 2 will look to make it back-to-back victories when they take on Epping 2 in the second round of grading, while Montmorency 3 will look to open their account for season 2022 when they do battle against Thomastown 3.
