CHNL
The Learmonth Lakies have completed its dominant run through the Central Highlands Netball League's home and away season with a 16th consecutive victory.
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In perhaps the side's biggest challenge of the year, the Lakies hosted the second-placed Hepburn Burras in a wet and windy contest.
It was back-and-forth throughout the game as neither side found itself ever able to really extend its lead.
Learmonth was able to ultimately hold on the the victory, completing an undefeated regular season for the Lakies.
Learmonth coach Jordan O'Keefe said with the conditions he was always expecting a close, low-scoring game and praised his team's versatility.
"With the conditions the way they were it was never going to be a high-scoring blow out," he said.
"What got us over the line is the same thing I've said all season and that's our versatility, our ability to swing players from end to end really helped us."
O'Keefe believes his side can take its play to another level come finals but stressed complacency would not be of concern following the Lakies undefeated season.
"Do I think this was our best performance? No, but that isn't to take anything away from our girls or Hepburn, I just know we can go to another level come finals.
"I don't think (complacency) is really something we even have to worry about to be honest... our group is not a complacent or arrogant one, they respect every team and simply go out aiming to play good netball."
The victory will only add to the Lakies confidence heading into its qualifying final next Saturday afternoon against the Buninyong Bombers.
The two teams met less than a month ago with Learmonth coming away with a commanding 21-goal victory.
The other top four finals match-up will see Hepburn host Springbank with the Tigers coming in fresh off a round 17 bye. The Burras beat Springbank 51-34 in round six.
Elsewhere the Demons secured its spot in the finals following a 47-38 win over Newlyn at home. Bungaree climbed into seventh place following Waubra's win over the Eagles.
Buninyong, Rokewood-Corindhap and Ballan all gathered some momentum heading into finals with 45-plus goal victories over Skipton, Clunes and Creswick respectively while Beaufort handed Daylesford its 16th loss of the season.
RESULTS:
Ballan 81 d Creswick 15
Bungaree 47 d Newlyn 38
Dunnstown 48 d Carngham-Linton 36
Rokewood-Corindhap 62 d Clunes 11
Beaufort 45 d Daylesford 29
Learmonth 44 d Hepburn 40
Buninyong 68 d Skipton 23
Waubra 40 d Gordon 32
LADDER: Learmonth 68, 284.71; Hepburn 60, 206.11; Springbank 60, 158.73; Buninyong 56, 199.38; Rokewood-Corindhap 52, 160.79; Ballan 52, 145.99; Bungaree 40, 100.73; Gordon 40, 76.96; Dunnstown 36, 113.46; Waubra 32, 122.89; Newlyn 32, 86.67; Skipton 24, 70.62; Carngham-Linton 20, 73.44; Beaufort 16, 56.54; Clunes 12, 52.44; Creswick 8, 37.45; Daylesford 4, 27.53
FINALS FIXTURE:
SATURDAY
Learmonth (1st) v Buninyong (4th) - Qualifying final.
Last time they played: July 13 - Learmonth 47 d Buninyong 26
Rokewood-Corindhap (5th) v Gordon (8th) - Elimination final.
Last time they played: June 22 - Rokewood-Corindhap 95 d Gordon 22
SUNDAY
Hepburn (2nd) v Springbank (3rd) - Qualifying final.
Last time they played: May 11 - Hepburn 51 d Springbank 34
Ballan (6th) v Bungaree (7th) - Elimination final.
Last time they played: June 1 - Ballan 39 d Bungaree 33
BFNL
Bacchus Marsh head coach Michael Slater had one message for his charges against Lake Wendouree at three quarter time on Saturday - "how bad do you want to play finals."
The response was resounding, and it showed on-court in a come-from-behind win to beat the top-end Lakers in the Ballarat Football Netball League.
The win keeps the season alive for the Cobras who are now tied in the win column with sixth-placed Ballarat.
Slater described Saturday's encounter as do-or-die.
"If we had dropped it finals chances were done and dusted," he said.
"There has been a gap between the top four and the rest of the league all season, so to beat a team in the top four is huge."
Lake Wendouree led from the front for the majority of the match played at Wendouree Reserve. After going down by as many as eight goals early in the third quarter, Slater feared the game was out of reach. But the Cobras persevered, coming back to tie the game midway through the final term.
The sides went goal for goal before before a deflection from Cobras' wing attack Frances Murray landed the ball into the hands of Bacchus Marsh captain Kaila Ingham.
The turnover allowed the Marsh to take a two-goal lead over the Lakers, laying the platform for a season-saving victory.
Bacchus Marsh will play fifth-placed Melton South this Saturday. Elsewhere Melton South beat Redan, North Ballarat City were victorious over Darley, East Point beat Sebastopol, and Sunbury thumped Melton.
RESULTS:
Bacchus Marsh 36 d Lake Wendouree 34
Sunbury 74 d Melton 21
Melton South 42 d Redan 33
North Ballarat City 66 d Darley 29
East Point 50 d Sebastopol 45
LADDER: SUNBURY 60, 168.17, NORTH BALLARAT CITY 56, 146.58, EAST POINT 52, 131.50, LAKE WENDOUREE 44, 125.04, MELTON SOUTH 40, 91.24, BALLARAT 36, 110.95, Bacchus Marsh 36, 90.80, Sebastopol 20, 86.43, Melton 20, 69.13, Redan 16, 72.67, Darley 12, 56.92
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