The side in the navy blue is on course to make club history after surviving an elimination final thriller against North East Blaze at the State Netball Centre on the evening of Wednesday, July 22.
The Strikers, who qualified in fifth-place, advanced to a knockout semi-final against perennial powerhouse City West Falcons, outlasting the Blaze to see out a thrilling 49-48 win.
This gutsy victory reversed a four-goal loss to the Blaze in round 9, and propelled the Bendigo outfit into the last four for the second consecutive season.
They led by one goal at quarter-time and trailed by two at half-time, before the teams went into the final term locked together at 39-apiece.
The Blaze seized the early momentum to lead by three goals four-minutes into the quarter, with a persistent Strikers able to fully bridge the gap with six minutes remaining to ensure a 49-48 triumph.
Bendigo coach Tracey Brereton lauded her side’s resilient nature, both in-game and coming off a 16-goal loss to Hawks in their final home and away round game just seven days earlier.
“As I said to our girls, it didn’t matter that we finished fifth, as anywhere from three to six is an elimination final,” she said.
“But we showed heaps of resilience. At one stage, five out of the seven (players) on the court could all still play 23s.
“To see our composure throughout the game with those players on court, that was something I was particularly proud of.
“But we also executed the game plan for the majority of it. We didn’t have too many lapses of concentration, and if we did, it wasn’t for too long.
“Some weeks, our concentration wanes and comes in and out for too long, but tonight it didn’t.
“I feel we match up quite well on Blaze as a team. They got the win over us during the year, but it was only by four. To get one back on them, we’re extremely happy.”
While the relative youth of Gall and co was an undoubted bright spot and deserving of Brereton’s praise, so too was the elite-level experience and leadership of skipper Nexhip en route to victory.
“Elle, Chris and Char all really stood up for us in our last quarter,” Brereton said.
“That’s the experience of SSN-level players, and look what they did in the dying stages.
“When someone had to put their hand up and say we’re going to win, they put their hands up, and in the big moments they got some crucial ball for us.”
Undoubtedly, next opponents, the Falcons, will prove a tricky proposition for the Strikers in round 2 of the VNL finals on July 29 - as they aim to secure slice of history of their own with a fifth consecutive championship.
“To go another step by winning a semi-final I guess is the blueprint of what we are trying to do,” Brereton added.
“It’s right there in front of us, and it’s not just words, it’s action. We are moving forward every year.”
