Preliminary final night means no second chances. It was this premise that ignited the Lakeside girls into a blistering first half. Em Borci was lethal with ball in hand and her shooting prowess was, if possible, enhanced by a flawless display in the ring. Her contagious smile was beaming throughout the arena as she was unstoppable against some quality opposition. Rebecca McMahon, arguably the best player in the competition, was superb in the defensive end halting many forward drives by Macleod. Her incredible intercepts were only to be outdone by her supermodel legs. Certainly the talk around the court from the array of footballers was the Jen Hawkins like pins. Without her influence in the first half the deficit would have certainly been closer to double figures rather than just 1 goal.
A terrific first half was continued into the 3rd quarter by the Lakeside girls. Anna was starting to hit the scoreboard and Bec was injected with great control and finesse. Lauren was not her usual damaging self as the umpires seemed to have it in for her on the night. One pundit from the crowd noticed her inconsolable outrage at certain decisions. He or she went on to liken her vehemence to that of a two girls wearing the same dress on a night out. Perhaps the stars were not aligned for the Lakeside girls as they were playing quality netball, as good as any game all year, yet was unable to hit the lead at any point.
Going into the final term the girls realized the urgency and started to play a high tempo style of play that ultimately led to the dam wall bursting. The flood gates opened late in the game for an unflattering final scoreboard. Steph continued her fine form and was excellent all night. Her determination and skill was again unmatched. Hannah fought hard against quality shooters to ensure the team was in the game for most of the night. Bec Camma was tireless in her efforts and our secret weapon Lauren McKenna was not to be unleashed.
A fine game from the Lakeside ladies was delivered without the reward of a spot in the Grand Final. Macleod played a very solid game and deserves their spot in the Grand Final. Plenty of experience helped them maintain their high standards all night. Even with some questionably tanned players, in a Melbourne winter that has provided only rain and scarce levels of UV, they will go into the Grand Final well prepared after a high-quality preliminary final. The standing room only crowd was very proud of the Lakeside girl’s effort not only on the night but all season. Well done on a very enjoyable and rewarding season!
Last Modified on 01/09/2012 13:02