Whittlesea 1 continued its strong form to stay atop the Section 3 ladder, beating a spirited Lalor 1 by three goals in an entertaining match at RMIT University.
The sides sit at opposite ends of the ladder, but it was an entertaining battle, with the Bloods giving it everything and showing plenty of fight despite being on the wrong side of the 38-35 scoreline.
Both teams came out all guns blazing and provided plenty of highlights.
Lalor goal attack Zoe Lagoulis shot the lights out early for the Bloods, nailing seven goals in the opening quarter – with her calm approach allowing her to hit them from anywhere.
Her shooting partner Kristin Chelsea also played her role, holding strong in the circle and having an impact on the scoring as well.
Lalor goal keeper Meghan McKenzie was instrumental in the first quarter, coming up with a highlight of her own with an awesome intercept.
The Bloods’ ball movement was quick and efficient, causing problems for the Eagles – with the underdogs leading by two at quarter time.
For the Eagles, goal attack Daina Peet was instrumental in providing plenty of space, with her drives and change of direction causing headaches for the Lalor defenders.
Whittlesea was able to turn the game during the second term, showing the form that has them sitting atop the ladder.
The Eagles impressed inside the shooting circle, working well together and using their height advantage to take advantage on second chance shots.
Goal attack Daina Peet continued her accurate shooting, while Rachel Kemp had a strong second quarter and continued the duo’s strong combination in the shooting circle.
The Eagles had great pressure from their defensive end, with goal keeper Lily McKeown and Mollie McKeown forming a strong partnership.
The sisters managed to get plenty of ball back for their team, with the Eagles going into the half time break up by five goals, 21-16.
Coming into the third quarter, the intensity went up another level.
Lalor displayed great defensive acts throughout its whole team, with the Bloods fighting for every ball they could get their hands on.
For the Eagles, they were quick moving the ball from the defensive third to the shooting circle, which kept Lalor on their toe.
Lalor enjoyed a fast finish to the quarter, ensuring the game went right down to the wire, with Whittlesea taking just a three-goal lead to three quarter time, 30-27.
Going into the last quarter, both teams came out blazing and threw everything into the contest.
Both teams’ midcourt players displayed plenty of speed and gave some amazing passes into the shooting circle.
Each time Lalor threatened to get within touching distance, the Eagles kept composed and got crucial stops when it mattered most.
This ensured the ladder-leader notched its seventh win of the season, with the 38-35 triumph moving them two wins clear atop the ladder.
Final score: Whittlesea 1 (38) def Lalor 1 (35)
