Rumbalara's Jaydah Wanganeen inspired her team to victory.
Photo by
Jazzy Johal
Nathalia continued to strengthen its premiership credentials with an emphatic 25-goal victory over Deniliquin, while Tongala and Rumbalara also recorded impressive wins during round 14 of Murray Netball League A-grade action.
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After tasting defeat for the first time this season against Rumbalara a week earlier, Nathalia wasted little time returning to winning ways.
The Purples made the perfect start, opening with the first three goals before the Rams settled into the contest. Makayla Finn kept Deniliquin within striking distance early and the home side trailed by just four goals at the first break, 14-10.
Nathalia began to assert its authority in the second quarter, with Georgia Walpole finding her range under the post and Emmalea Wishart making an immediate impact after rotating into goal attack.
The Purples outscored the Rams 17-8 for the term to take a commanding 31-18 lead into half-time.
The visitors continued to tighten their grip after the main break as Walpole and Wishart combined superbly in attack as Nathalia steadily extended its advantage, stretching the margin to 20 goals by the final change, 47-27.
Any hopes of a Deniliquin fightback were quickly extinguished in the last quarter as Nathalia finished strongly.
Walpole was outstanding with 37 goals, while Wishart added 18 and Stephanie Gorrie contributed eight as the Purples completed a convincing 25-goal victory.
For the Rams, Finn battled tirelessly to finish with 22 goals, while Chloe Way (nine) and Phoebe Newman (seven) provided valuable support, but Nathalia's polished attacking combinations and sustained pressure across the middle two quarters proved the difference.
The Purples were rarely troubled in their 63-38 triumph over the Rams, with Walpole leading the way under the post with 37 goals in total.
Elsewhere, Tongala produced one of the most dominant displays of the round, dismantling Numurkah 70-31.
The Blues controlled proceedings from the opening whistle and continued to pile on the goals to further cement their place among the league's leading contenders.
Rumbalara made the most of the home court advantage with a convincing 63-40 victory over Echuca United.
Rumba built scoreboard pressure throughout the afternoon to claim a comfortable 23-goal win and continue building momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
Mulwala also enjoyed a dominant afternoon, brushing aside Moama 62-28.
The Lions' defensive pressure and slick ball movement proved too much for the Magpies as they cruised to a 34-goal victory as they soared to the top of the ladder in a statement victory.
That result will surely reverberate around the grounds, with this emphatic win coming against strong opposition in the form of the league’s fourth-best side this campaign.
The closest contest of the round came at Finley Recreation Reserve, where ladder leader Congupna suffered another costly defeat.
Finley edged the Road 40-36 in a four-goal thriller, handing the competition’s basement club a 12th loss of the season to leave them rock bottom of the table.
Perhaps the pick of the games next week will be an intriguing top of the table clash between leading two Nathalia and Mulwala as both teams continue to outline their title aspirations.
