The under-18 girls’ preliminary final was held against a formidable Eastern Ranges outfit, and the discrepancy was clear from the jump despite the Bushies’ spirited fight.
The Bushrangers entered the match coming off an upset 19-point victory against the Gippsland Power, but the script was flipped in its final encounter, as the girls from the Eastern suburbs put on a clinic and demonstrated why they boast the best percentage of all non-academy Coates Talent League teams.
In a slow start for either side, Murray was able to limit Eastern Ranges to just a goal and a behind, but failed to back up its defensive pressure with a score of its own.
The Ranges then found its groove in the second term, scoring eight times for a return of 3.5 to extend the lead out to 30 as the Bushrangers yet again failed to hit the scoreboard.
As the Ranges motored towards a grand final position, Skylah McPherson was on the receiving end of a free kick and nailed Murray’s one and only goal for the game, but the metro side tallied a further four goals in the third term.
A gritty final quarter to close the season saw Murray nab a behind late and restrict the Ranges to just two goals, resulting in a 10.11 (71) to 1.1 (7) loss for the Bushies.
Despite the one-sided scoreline, the Bushrangers were commendable for their defensive efforts, laying 84 tackles at La Trobe University.
Rose Bell was arguably best on for Bushrangers with an astonishing 20 rebound 50s from 28 disposals, while Lana Carroll and Leila Creevey were also admirable in defeat.
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