Nagambie now finds itself just one step away from the Kyabram District League A-grade netball grand final after besting Tallygaroopna by seven goals in a thrilling qualifying final at Merrigum Recreation Reserve.
It was a game defined by large momentum swings and the Lakers took full advantage in the second and fourth terms, pegging back the Redlegs’ fast start before running over the top of them to come away 34-27 winners.
Serving as the perfect start to its finals campaign, Nagambie coach Katie Sullivan said it was a relief to come away victorious in what was a rollercoaster match.
“I’d say I’m relieved more than happy (to come away with the win). To only win two quarters for the day and still come away winners, it was a little bit strange but a win is a win,” Sullivan said.
“We were pretty lucky that Tally also couldn’t sustain their best for the full four quarters either, and it made for a very interesting game with both teams having their periods of dominance.
“One thing that we have prided ourselves on is our fitness, so I’m glad we could break away in the last quarter and consolidate the win after Tally really put us under the pump.”
With their last meeting producing a draw back in round 11, the crowd braced itself for another thrilling edition of the Nagambie and Tallygaroopna rivalry.
It was the Redlegs who dealt the first blow, wiping the Lakers off the court with a scintillating opening stanza.
Under serious pressure, the experience of Nagambie rose to the fore in the second term, arresting back the momentum and putting together arguably its most impressive period of netball for the season.
“We put 14 goals on the board and coughed up just four in that second term, so that was just sheer determination after being blown away in an out-of-character first quarter,” Sullivan said.
“Being seriously on the back foot, it was super impressive from the girls to talk it over at quarter-time and come out and change up our play and I think that really set up the win.”
After taking the lead into half-time, another Nagambie lapse gave Tallygaroopna back the momentum in the third term, with the issues that plagued the Lakers in the first quarter rearing their ugly head.
And trailing by one-goal at the final change, Nagambie once again found itself under real pressure.
But in remarkably similar circumstances to the second term, Sullivan’s team once again roared to life, running the Redlegs off their feet to pull away to a seven-goal victory.
“It was such a strange game, to be honest, and heading into the last quarter we had no idea what would happen,” Sullivan said.
“We said at three-quarter time that we had to lift offensively to come away with the win, and to the girls’ credit we did exactly that.
“Our fitness came to the fore and we finished in such a rush, which was something I was very proud of.”
Maddison Biggs was the standout for the Lakers, producing a dominant performance through the midcourt, while Ella Barnes was also impressive in defence.
Now given the benefit of another week off, Nagambie will watch this weekend’s semi-final between Violet Town and Dookie United closely, as the winner awaits in a preliminary final on Sunday, September 11.