Hard work on the training track paid rich dividends for Lakes Entrance netballers last Saturday as the Seagulls claimed five impressive victories in round 13 of East Gippsland Football Netball League action against Paynesville at the Lakeside Oval.
Despite a tough run of matches in recent weeks, Lakes Entrance showed significant growth across senior and junior ranks to turn potential into points.
In the “A” grade match, two of the competition’s developing sides went head-to-head in a defensive battle. Capitalising on early turnovers, Lakes Entrance built a gradual advantage over four tough quarters to secure a 32-22 victory. Emerging talents Skyla White and Makayla Grabham were again prominent with standout performances.
The Seagulls posted a more straightforward result in “B” grade, dominating Paynesville 48-17 to collect their third win of the season. Experienced heads Tessa York and Meika Pitt combined seamlessly with promising youngster Alyssa Witham to control the tempo throughout.
“C” grade delivered a tighter contest as both teams hunted their second win of the campaign. Lakes Entrance maintained its defensive intensity late in the match to claim a 25-18 result, led by strong displays from Harriet Copeland, Mikaela Hooper and Danielle Piper.
The day’s most dramatic senior clash came in “D” grade, where the Seagulls held on for a thrill-a-minute 20-19 victory to register their first win of the year. In a hard-fought contest that looked destined for a draw, Zoe Zagami, Poppy Richardson and Ginger Svetlik stood tall under pressure to secure the one-goal triumph.
In junior action, the under 17 clash went the way of the visiting Gulls, who capitalised on key breaks to take out a high-quality match 34-27 despite solid efforts from Lilly Eiseman, Witham and Lily Mills.
Lakes Entrance broke through for a well-deserved second win of the season in the under 15 fixture, running away 24-10 behind star performances from Charlie Richardson and Mia Hamer.
The under 13 contest produced another nail-biting finish. The fourth-placed Seagulls survived an inspired fightback from a determined Paynesville outfit to hold on for a 21-19 win, anchored by Sadie Williams, Isla Behan and Georgi Witham.
Lakes Entrance now faces a challenging road trip this Saturday when the club travels down the highway to tackle the strong Stratford Swans at Boyd Reserve.
