West Preston-Lakeside 1 have claimed their first victory in the 2023 Heidelberg Golf Club Division 1 women’s competition, after keeping their first quarter lead all the way to the end to defeat Diamond Creek Women’s 1 by 21 points at J.E. Moore Park.
The Roosters won all but one quarter in their 9.11 (65) to 6.8 (44) triumph, keeping the Creekers to just two goals to half time while kicking six of their own.
Chloe Oakley booted home three goals for the home side with the ever-reliable Tallia Pulcino having a massive impact on the contest. Ashlee Marston also contributed to the scoring with two goals.
After a solid outing last week, Creekers’ captain Maykaylah Appleyby would stand up inside 50, kicking three goals and be named in the best. Brittany Apted and Chiara Nardo were also impressive.
Both sides walked into the game eager for a win having both lost their opening round clashes.
As the game started, West Preston-Lakeside appeared to be the more dominant side at first, but it was Diamond Creek Women’s who had all the answers early, which culminated with Appleby kicking the first goal of the game.
The Creekers had more opportunities to score but would only muster two more behinds for the quarter as Chloe Kalanj and Chloe Oakley would each put through a goal for the Roosters to give the home side a five-point lead at quarter time.
In the second quarter, West Preston-Lakeside who would continue their momentum as Isabel Young slotted a set shot while Oakley would kick her second and third goal’=s of the match to stretch their healthy advantage.
The Roosters were dominating in all areas of the ground, and it wasn’t until 15 minutes had passed in the term before the visitors would kick their first goal of the quarter, as they outnumbered West Preston-Lakeside in transition, with Grace Addamo becoming the beneficiary after getting on the end of some fast-moving play to kick the goal.
But West Preston-Lakeside immediately responded, as Tallia Pulcino found the big sticks to push the Roosters to a 29-point advantage at the main break.
The Roosters were in the box seat to run away with the game, but as was apparent throughout 2022, Diamond Creek Women’s were capable of flicking the switch and turning things around when necessary.
It seemed as though that would occur in the early stages of the second half, as the visitors had majority of the possession. Their reward came through a further two majors from Appleby and a goal from Chiara Nardo, but had they been accurate, the deficit could have been reduced even more approaching three-quarter time.
West-Preston Lakeside would go on to kick a goal via Ashlee Marston late in the quarter to thwart some of Diamond Creek Women’s momentum, but the reigning premiers were still in the hunt at three-quarter time, with only a 15-point margin to chase.
The last quarter started with both sides each kicking two behinds, but it was Michelle Millhouse who would break through for the first goal of the term to put the Roosters up by a much more comfortable 21 points.
Both sides managed one more major apiece, with Suzan Arifoska first converting for the Creekers, before Marston’s second put the exclamation mark on an important win for West Preston-Lakeside.
