Sunbury Lions have returned to the winners’ list with a vital win over fellow top-six side Lake Wendouree in the Ballarat Netball League.
The Lions started the season with five straight wins against lower sides but lost the next two against teams towards the top of the ladder.
On Saturday against the Lakers, who entered the game with only one loss for the year, the Lions extended their lead at every break, winning 43-36.
Defender Rachael Dovaston was best on court, while the first-time shooting combination of Amy Starzer (27 goals) and Laura Carland (16) were the other standouts.
Lions captain Beck Anstey said the going had been tough at times this year. “It’s coming together slowly with a lot of young players in the team,” she said.
“It’s a building year, which is tough as we’ve always been competitive. We know with a couple more additional recruits we’re not far off.”
Anstey said the likes of Dovaston and Sally Portbury had impressed in their first seasons with the club.
“Rachael, from Ballarat, has been brilliant in the defensive end,” she said.
“Sally comes in having played VNL a couple of years ago. She’s learning, too, and taking direction from Prue [Stanley] in the mid-court.”
The attacking end is a part of the court the Lions are still looking to get right, with Anstey saying the club is on the hunt for another goaler to add to the squad.
Anstey said Carland, who also plays in a Parkville midweek competition, had played a couple of games with the Lions while also fulfilling other commitments.
“She’s young and eager to learn,” Anstey said. “I think she’s pretty keen to play more games for us and we’re happy for her to play.”
Meanwhile, Anstey is hoping Starzer will play enough games for the Lions to pass the finals qualification threshold.
Starzer normally plays on Saturdays with Rupertswood in the Riddell District Netball League. Starzer’s Rupertswood teammate, Ailish McCormack, also played for the Lions on Saturday.
The Lions, coached so far by senior players, hope to have their regular coach, Karen Meredith, back on the sidelines in August. Meredith has been coaching school netball on Saturdays.
The fourth-placed Lions have a bye this week then face the top two teams, East Point and North Ballarat City, in the next two rounds.
“We will learn a lot from them and where we sit compared with those on top of the ladder,” Anstey said.
