WITH Round 4 complete the North-East Blaze and City West Falcons remain undefeated, showcasing their dominance across the court. Meanwhile, Hawks Netball also claimed their first win of the season with an eight-goal victory over the Melbourne University Lightning.

North-East Blaze (67) defeated Boroondara Express (45)

North-East Blaze are going from strength to strength, putting themselves in a dominant position after Round 4. They dominated from the get-go with impressive pressure across the court and accuracy to post. Their teamwork down the court and quick transition between offence and defence is a real feature of the game and this was on show throughout their match against Boroondara. Elizabeth Nicol was unstoppable under the post, shooting a whopping 55 goals for the game. Her timing, positioning and strong hands on the take made her a real threat in the goal circle. Defensively Kaitlyn Black, Tayissa Coppinger and Ruby Tidd worked tirelessly to win the ball back for their side and applied some solid hands over pressure throughout the four quarters. Express were unable to make the most of their opportunities but shooters, Clare Vearing and Anastasia Hamill were dominant under the post finishing with 85 per cent shooting accuracy.

City West Falcons (51) defeated Peninsula Waves (47)

It was a close encounter, with the Falcons edging away at the end to claim their fourth consecutive win. The Waves put up a strong fight to draw the margin back in the final term, piling on 15 goals to the Falcons’ 10 but they fell just short. The Falcons looked to have things going their way from the start with a solid opening term, shooting 15 goals to eight to set them up for the rest of the game. By half time the Waves reduced the margin to seven to keep themselves in the game but fell away in the third. Peninsula had moments of strong play using their aggressive defence to try and nullify their opponents influence through the midcourt but it was not enough. Jane Cook was huge in the goal circle for the Falcons, working hard to put up a competitive total and finishing the game with 26 goals from 29 attempts at 90 percent. Though Tharjini Sivalingam only featured for a half she was influential in the goal circle with 17 goals. Maggie Lind and Molly Jovic were good through the midcourt feeding the ball well into the circle for the Falcons. For the Waves it was inaccuracy that killed them, with the team average at just 68 per cent. Gabrielle Dwyer led the way in attack with 24 goals from 34 attempts, while Jessica Cox showed her versatility moving between goal shooter and wing attack.

Ariels (54) defeated by Casey Demons (66)

Both the Ariels and Demons started off hot with only two goals separating them at half time. Casey kicked into gear for a 16 goal third term, before shooting a whopping 22 goals in the last term to seal the deal. The Ariels had plenty of confidence heading into the match-up after securing a come from behind win last round. Credit to the Demons, they worked hard to swing the result back their way and put their bodies on the line to take some big intercepts and create turnovers. Goal shooter, Emma Ryde was prolific under the post with 51 goals from 59 attempts for the Demons. Kassidy Withers also highlighted her flexibility, switching between wing attack and goal attack and slotting six goals. Inaccuracy plagued the Ariels, with Beth Wilson only managing 24 goals from her 42 attempts. Samantha Gooden was solid in the goal circle chipping in with 19 goals, while in defence they made a lot of changes with Monique Clark, Brodie Smith and Jessica Maher all getting court time.

Wilson Storage Southern Saints (45) defeated by Geelong Cougars (56)

It was a slow start for the Southern Saints who failed to fire until the final quarter, but it was all but too late. The Cougars showcased their speed and gameplay, using the ball cleverly down the court to hit targets and find their shooters with ease. They capitalised on turnovers and made the Saints pay for any errant passes with their quick transition. The combination between Julia Woolley and Ruby Horton continued to grow with the pair shooting 28 and 16 goals respectively. Bridgette Furphy also made her presence felt in the goal circle contributing 12 goals from 16 attempts showcasing their versatility and dominance in attack. For the Saints, Samantha Silvester was the go-to girl in the circle leading the way with 29 goals from 32 attempts with the defence of Victoria Honner and Olivia Jorgensen not bothering her. Sinead Lumsden was handy under the post for the Saints while Ashleigh Gill’s run through the midcourt was important.

Melbourne University Lightning (37) defeated by Hawks Netball (45)

The Hawks found their first win of the season with a victory over Melbourne University Lightning. They opened up an 11 goal margin in the first quarter with an impressive team effort to move the ball down the court and apply strong defensive pressure. The Lightning fought their way back into the contest in the third quarter, nailing 16 goals to the Hawks’ four, but the Hawks stayed strong and made sure they secured their first win. Clare Pettyfor was solid in wing defence with her good hands over pressure, while shooters Natalie Billings and Shae Gee showcased their connection in goals. Both worked seamlessly in attack with their smooth movement and accuracy, with Billings shooting 29 goals – 11 in the last term – to push the side over the line. Lightning shooter, Ella Bertacchini finished the game at 87 percent thanks to her accuracy to post. Fiona Fowler worked hard in defence moving between goal keeper, goal defence and wing defence throughout the game.