SYDNEY University came away with the vital four points against Pennant Hills to keep the Students’ hopes of finals this year alive. The Student had a tough fight on their hands in the first half, but kicked away with seven unanswered goals in the second half to win, 10.8 (68) to 2.3 (15).

After the recent run of upset results across the league, the Sydney Uni team was expected to win – needed a win – against bottom two side Pennant Hills, and for it to be as big as possible. That was exactly the way the match started with Frances Walsh collecting a ruck tap and bursting out of the middle to hit a clean pass inside 50 to the forwards.

From there, the ball never got back past halfway for the entire quarter. The Demons were boxed in due to Sydney Uni’s relentless forward pressure, though to Pennant Hills’ credit, the defence did well to scrap for every inch and defend bravely to minimise the quarter time deficit. AFLW Academy member Emma Juneja was clearly best afield in the early stages with her run and work.

Unfortunately for the Demons, they could not find any individual or team offence to look like creating a score, and found themselves 17 points down without troubling the scorers. The positive was that from seven shots, Sydney Uni had only kicked the two goals thanks to the staunch Demons defence.

However, to Pennant Hills’ credit, the Demons put on an extraordinary team effort in the second term to hit the scoreboard with a couple of majors through Natalie Pajor and Elly Rudd to cut the deficit heading into the second half. Back to within 10 points at the main break, the game was back on for the underdogs.

Just as the Demons had worked back into the game though, Kendra Blattman stepped up to rip it back for the Students. She had been cleaning up everything across the half-back line, but her move into the ruck proved a masterstroke. Blattman changed the course of the stoppages from breakevens to Sydney Uni wins and became the most influential player on the ground.

Everything that started happening after half-time started with her work from the source, and she was effective in feeding the runners on the outside of the contest who would break the lines with run, and slice through the middle to put the ball long inside 50 for a contested opportunity. That element was where the game was won.

The Students had the luxury of leaving vice-captain Jasmine Smith as a deep forward and she presented well, clunking two nice marks and playing on immediately to convert goals. That helped amongst seven second half goals, and unlike in the first half, Pennant Hills could not find the answer this time.

Youngster Walsh was very impressive across bursts in the game and showed off her running ability, while the likes of Blattman (two goals), Smith and Juneja were all key movers for the winners. Daisy George and Sarah Tutt were others who were named in the best.

For Pennant Hills, the effort on defence was exceptional, but the lack of offence still hurts the Demons. Kaitlin Noble stood tall and took a series of strong intercept contested marks. Sheridan Baker continuted her nice work around the football looking composed, while Addison Hickey and Kaitlin Quinlan were among the other named in the best for the losing side.

SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 2.5 | 3.6 | 7.7 | 10.8 (68)
PENNANT HILLS 0.0 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 (15)

GOALS:
Sydney Uni: K. Blattman 2, J. Smith 2, A. Cagney, E. Gelsomino, E. Juneja, L. Race, S. Tutt, F. Walsh
Pennant Hills: N. Pajor, E. Rudd

BEST:
Sydney Uni: K. Blattman, D. George, J. Smith, S. Tutt, E. Juneja, Y. Sayer
Pennant Hills: A. Hickey, K. Noble, K. Quinlan, T. Coopman, E. Rudd, S. Baker

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Parramatta Goannas 6.2 (38) defeated Manly Warringah Wolves 2.12 (24)

Parramatta Goannas all but ended Manly Warringah Wolves’ top two chances with a 14-point win, knocking down the Wolves to fifth after being second just a couple of weeks ago. The Goannas found it a real scrap through three quarters and even trailed by seven points at teh last change, but a dominant 4.0 to 0.3 final term meant the visitors were able to run away and collect the four points.

It was no surprise that the likes of Caitlin Fletcher and Amanda Farrugia were best-on in the win, working hard around the ball. Youngsters Megan Mifsud and Kiera Yerbury were also named among the best, while Lauren O’Sullivan was the sole multiple goalkicker on the day. Hannah Woolf and Zara Hamilton were once again the standouts for the Wolves, while teenagers Ava Barraclough and Lauren Bull also impressed.

North Shore Bombers 5.2 (32) defeated UNSW-ES Bulldogs 3.3 (21)

North Shore Bombers continue to stake their claims for a finals spot this year, shaking off a determined UNSW-ES Bulldogs side to grind out an 11-point win at Henson Park. The Bombers only lead by four, five and five points at the first three breaks, but kicked the only goal of the last term to get up by under two kicks.

Elle Carroll was best on ground and the only multiple goalkicker slotting two majors, while Claire Wilson and Zoe Milligan impressed the coaches in the win. For the Bulldogs, Hayley Stanford and draft hopefuls Amelia Martin and Ellie Veerhuis were among the better players for the red, white and blue.

UTS Bats 14.12 (96) defeated St George Dragons 0.2 (2)

UTS Bats secured a crucial percentage boost ahead of their rivals with a dominant 94-point shellacking of cellar dwellers, St George Dragons. Needing percentage as part of the mid-table logjam, the Bats did not waste any time once they got going, piling on five goals in the second term to hold a 47-point half-time lead, before kicking another seven goals in the second half to fill marginally short of the ton.

Jessica Quade booted three goals and was one of four multiple goalkickers including bottom-age ruck Madeleine Quinn. Hannah Cerezo and Charlotte Owen were credited with being in the best, while Sophia Gaukrodger and skipper Kaitlin McCaffery were both in the best and kicked a couple of goals each. For the Dragons, Rhiannon Burns and Caydelan Mitchell Bruce were acknowledged by the coaches.