Blues netballers fire up against Ungarie
Wednesday August 4, 2010
Double defence: Cobar Blues’ tough defensive combination of Amy McConville (GK) and Karlee Davis (GD) made the Ungarie shooters work hard for their goals in Saturday’s
B Grade semi final netball game at Lake Cargelligo. ▪ Photo contributed
The Cobar Blues A and B Grade netball teams blew away their Ungarie opposition in their semi final elimination games of the Northern Riverina League competition on Saturday at Lake Cargelligo with both Cobar sides coming away with wins to progress to the finals.Cobar’s B Grade side came out all guns blazing in their match against their higher ranked Ungarie opposition on Saturday and comprehensively won the game, 46-18.
And what made their win even sweeter, was that this was the first time this season that the Cobar side had beaten Ungarie.
The Cobar A Grade side also got “sweet revenge” with their one point win against Ungarie, with Ungarie the 2009 premiers who beat Cobar in last year’s grand final.
Saturday’s games at Lake Cargelligo were elimination semi finals which now sees the two Ungarie teams bow out of the competition.
Cobar A Grade’s win on Saturday also puts them into the history books as the team that upset Ungarie on the way to their ninth straight premiership.
The A Grade game was a thriller for all concerned with the Cobar supporters squad on tenterhooks for a prolonged period.
The game started on an even keel with Ungarie taking a one point lead (11-10) at the first break.
Cobar grabbed a handy four goals lead at half time before blowing out the margin to an 11 points lead midway through the third quarter.
And apart from a few wild passes, it wasn’t so much anything that Cobar did or didn’t do however their big margin started to steadily slipped away as Ungarie calmly fought their way back into the game to level the scores (47-all) on the umpires’ final whistle.
The game then went into a nervous period of extra time (for the players and the spectators) and Ungarie quickly grabbed the ascendancy with a four goals lead.
However sheer determination (along with a high level of fitness) by the Cobar side got them back into the match and they won, 54-53.
Amie Jacklin, Naomi Whitehurst and Lane Poland were named Cobar’s best players.
Despite the bitterly cold playing conditions, Cobar’s B Grade side was running hot from the outset with the attacking combination of shooters Briana Francisco and Nicola Harbison, and centre court players Chelsea Kershaw and Jenna Fullagar, giving the side a 16-5 lead at the end of the first quarter which they increased to 28-8 at half time.
Coach Amie Jacklin had the liberty of using extra players from the bench Simone Howard (shooter), Sarah Irvine (wing) and Callie Black (Centre) in the second half.
The “fresh legs” served them well and, along with sustained pressure by Cobar’s defenders Amy McConville, Karlee Davis and Naomi Whitehurst, B Grade’s intensity never waned and they powered on to finish the match 46-18.
Both sides have now progressed to the finals to be played in a fortnight at a venue yet to be determined.
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