By Marcus Uhe
All finals combatants bar Beaconsfield will head into A-Grade netball finals in winning form after securing victories in the final round of the home-and-away season.
The top five positions on the ladder remained as they did after round 17, meaning Narre Warren will get a crucial rest next week before taking the court again in the second week of finals.
The Magpies returned to the winner’s list with a six goal victory over Beaconsfield at home.
Narre Warren scored the opening seven goals of the contest within minutes but the Eagles responded before the first break to trail by only four at quarter time.
A 15-goal-to-nine second term saw the Magpies lead by 10 at the long break, a lead they maintained for much of the afternoon before finishing 48-42 victors.
Both teams tested their depth ahead of finals, playing 10 and 11 players respectively in the close contest.
Narre Warren shooter Clare Vearing scored 35 goals on her return to the courts after missing last week, but fell short of Elizabeth Murphy’s 36 at the other end.
Anaisis Tupuailei and Gabrielle Dwyer were among Narre Warren’s best, while Gabrille Stinear and Brittany Mashado went head-to-head in the centre of the court.
Finishing second on the table is Mt Evelyn, who got the better of Berwick in a low-scoring tussle at Edwin Flack Reserve 36-27.
The Rovers are arguably the form side of the competition, on the longest win streak of any side entering finals with scalps over Beaconsfield and Narre Warren along the way.
Berwick kept them to one of their lowest scores of the season to date, however, feeling the absence of first-choice goal attack Kaila Swindell.
Jacqui and Kaitlin Black starred for the Rovers in defence in keeping Berwick to such a low total.
Berwick’s Hayley Alman, Brooke Abu-Jaber and Emily Tatt finished their seasons on a high.
A Olinda Ferny Creek, Pakenham gave the Bloods a scare for three quarters before showing why they’re the reigning champions in a 51-42 win.
Pakenham won the first quarter 14-9 before the home side responded with 15 goals to 10 in the second term.
11 goals each in the third quarter meant the two sides entered the final period level, but the Bloods flexed their muscle by doubling Pakenham’s fourth-quarter score.
Defensive pair Eliza Molino and Charlize Reid had their hands full with Hayley Howard and Grace Kelly, but held their own in the respectable performance.
The Bloods, meanwhile, enter finals with 200 goals from their last three contests, but will have to go the hard way to retain their A-Grade crown, having finished fourth.
Also on a win streak is Wandin, four wins from its final four contests thanks to a 41-goal thrashing of Gembrook Cockatoo.
23 goals to five in the third quarter saw the Bulldogs’ half time lead extend from 15 to 34 in a ruthless display.
62 goals to Emmalia Blake ensured her eye is in ahead of the finals series, securing the goal scoring title with 812 goals, 173 ahead of her nearest competitor.
Chelsea Ingram managed 30 goals for the Brookers.
Monbulk also finished its season in the winners column, defeating Upwey Tecoma 61-43 in a contest lacking any finals bearing.
Mt Evelyn tackle Wandin at Narre Warren’s Kalora Park in a qualifying final while Olinda Ferny Creek face Beaconsfield at Chandler Recreation Reserve in Emerald in a knock-out contest.
