MELBOURNE Vixens goaler Carla Dziwoki will make her long-awaited debut for the Sovereigns.
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Dziwoki will step out in the club’s Victorian Netball League championship clash with Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels at the State Netball and Hockey Centre on Wednesday night.
The 32-year-old Vixen has been released by the club due to its bye in the ANZ Championship.
ACU Sovereigns head coach Natasha Chokljat said it was exciting for Dziwoki to finally be made available to play in the VNL.
Chokljat said Dziwoki, who has represented Australia, would be a good role model for the Sovereigns and that her attendance would be a real “confidence booster” heading into the clash with the Ariels.
The Sovereigns were beaten by 19 goals in the round two clash with the Ariels in early February.
“It is great timing and coming up against a side who we played in round two. It was a double-header the next day and the girls did really well. We finished off that game by winning the last quarter by a couple of goals,” she said.
“Even without Carla, we finished off after a really hard weekend by winning the quarter.”
Chokljat said she would be under the Vixens’ instruction on how she could utilise Dziwoki, who shot four goals in one quarter on court during a two-goal loss to the Adelaide Thunderbirds last weekend.
She is expected to form a formidable shooting duo with Cynna Kydd, who returned to the Sovereigns’ side in Sunday’s 15-goal home loss to the Geelong Cougars.
Meanwhile, Sovereigns high performance manager Eloise Southby says she sees a bright future for the club due to a talented 19/under side.
The team sits fourth on the ladder after beating Geelong Cougars on Sunday and will be favourite to continue its good run of form against an Ariels outfit it beat in round two.
“It’s about developing this group and then maintaining them in the club, make sure they are supported and want to play for Ballarat,” Southby said.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
SOVEREIGNS v YARRA VALLEY GRAMMAR ARIELS
at State Netball and Hockey Centre, Wednesday
Championship: 9.40pm
Division one: 7pm
19/under: 8.20pm