On a cold and windy Saturday afternoon at the Rochester Recreation Reserve, the Benalla A-grade netball squad faced off against Rochester Tigers in round 13 of the Goulburn Valley League. Despite a determined effort from Benalla, Rochester emerged victorious with a 66-46 win.
Benalla showed plenty of promise, improving on its round one defeat to the Tigers, but ultimately could not keep up with Rochester’s scoreboard pressure. The first quarter saw Rochester quickly establish a lead, ending the period 15-9. By halftime, Rochester had extended their lead to 34-22, reflecting their ability to transition the ball from the defensive side of the court to attack.
“We had a bit of a lapse in concentration,” coach Jo Toms said.
“We’ve had a couple of players come back from three to four-week breaks, and although no excuses, it’s about getting back into it and settling back into combinations.”
Benalla’s resilience was on display in the third quarter as it began to find more rhythm. Losing the battle of the third quarter by just one goal, Benalla’s best was on show and a reminder to themselves that they really can compete with anyone on their day.
“We fought really hard to get back into it,” a proud Toms said, “we just couldn’t sustain it.”
“Their shooters are so well versed, and ours, this is their first year together. When they got the ball, they were lucky to miss a couple for the whole game; we’re just not consistent enough in scoring from each centre pass and turnover.”
In the final quarter, both teams battled hard, exchanging goals, but Rochester’s earlier dominance ensured their victory. The match concluded with Rochester securing a well-earned 66-46 win, but with a lot of positives to take into next week’s clash against the ninth-placed Shepparton United.
“The feedback from all the girls the last few days, we all feel really good from that one. It’s almost like a fire has been lit in their bellies, so it’s a really good result in that way,” Toms said.
For Benalla, next week is a new challenge. On the road against Shepparton United, this is a very real chance for the Saints to get their first win on the board. In their last matchup, Benalla fell short by just 13 goals at the final whistle as they look to learn and adjust and make every minute count.
“We certainly need to back ourselves, go in hard and play consistent. We play some beautiful netball; it’s just about consistency, focus, and adapting,” Toms said.
“We’ll do a lot of work in regards to switching from defence to attack, making that short and sharp, nailing our set plays. I’m still. A big believer in our defensive game as well, it’ll be everything we’ve been working on, just in more detail.”
Despite the loss, Benalla can draw plenty of positives from their efforts. Bridget Hill’s performance in attack was a highlight, and Kate Symes looked great after a four to five-week stint on the sidelines. Ella Sheehan also added a bright spark off the bench when called upon.
The training track will be hit hard again this week, with the lessons learned throughout applied this Saturday against the Demons at Deakin Reserve.