The Eastern Devils sealed a Swisse VFL Women’s finals spot in superb fashion with a breakthrough win over Melbourne Uni at Mulgrave Reserve in Round 16 action.
The win was the first for the Devils against a fellow top four team since Round 1 against St Kilda in 2016, and gives the side confidence leading into the finals, with a 11.5 (71) to 7.9 (51) victory, as Callum O’Connor reports.
A six goal opening term set up the win for Eastern, as the visitors were left shell shocked early in the contest. The Devils were first to the ball and worked it quickly by hand through the likes of Sarah D’Arcy, Jaimee Lambert and Fiona Steiert.
Playmaker Lauren Tesoriero ran forward early to capitalise on their midfield dominance and it paid off. By the 18-minute mark of the quarter the Devils were six goals up thanks to a third major from Tesoriero, but a late Melbourne Uni goal reduced the margin to 30 points at quarter time.
The Mugars worked their way into the contest in the second quarter but the Devils made it hard for their forward set-up, sending numbers back.
While Maddie Keryk and second-gamer Catherine Phillips were winning the ball and orchestrating a defensive wall across the top of the fifty, the Mugars’ forwards struggled for space. It took nearly 15 minutes before Ellie Blackburn, closely checked by Devil Jess Trend, kicked Melbourne Uni’s first of the quarter but that was quickly undone when a defensive error allowed Jaimee Lambert an uncontested mark on the goal line. Lambert, dominating the clearances, caused havoc when she snuck into the forward line.
Just as important as Trend’s blanketing of Blackburn in the first half was the match-up of dynamic Devil Pepa Randall on star Mugar winger Kaitlyn Ashmore that saw one of Melbourne Uni’s most important ball-winners moved forward in the second half.
By half time, it was clear that Devils’ coach Brendan Major had masterminded a game plan that his players had almost faultlessly enacted as they led by 22 points. However, the Devils’ biggest challenge was holding the lead in the second half, having lost three games this season by three goals or less, after leading early in matches.
Melbourne Uni forwards Jess Anderson and Ashmore were able to find space and cut the margin to 14 points halfway through the third term, but the Mugars were unable to convert time spent up forward into further scoreboard pressure.
When Lambert kicked her third from a rare forward entry for the Devils, the half time lead was restored. This was followed by a freakish Alice Ryan snap from the boundary line that pushed the buffer out to five goals and even the most pessimistic Devils’ supporter could see the four points with a 29-point lead.
Blackburn kicked her third goal for Uni in the final term, but it was not enough, with the Devils holding on for a memorable 20-point win.
Devils’ coach Brendan Major said his side had risen to the challenge of beating a top four opponent after several close losses.
“That said, it wasn’t perfect, particularly in that second half, and while it’s good to get a win we’ve got to focus on keeping winning.”
In other results:
- St Kilda forward Moana Hope closed in on 100 goals for the season with 10 majors against Knox
- Katie Brennan kicked five goals and Daisy Pearce was best on ground as Darebin defeated VU Western Spurs by 72 points
- Seaford recovered from 23 points down early in the second term to defeat Cranbourne by 23, kicking seven of the last eight goals of the game - CLICK HERE for full replay
- A five goal to nil first term helped set up Diamond Creek’s 53-point win over Geelong, Jess Cameron kicking six goals
CLICK HERE for full results
Photo: Cameron Grimes
Last Modified on 10/08/2016 21:39
