By Tara Murray
For a second successive year, the Sunbury Lions premiership dreams have come tumbling down in a Ballarat Netball League preliminary final.
Hoping to get some redemption against North Ballarat City, which beat them in the first week of finals, the Lions again suffered the same fate.
A poor third quarter would prove costly on Saturday, with the Lions losing 43-40.
Lions coach Adam Boldiston was bitterly disappointed.
“ It was a better game than last time,” he said.
“We played better and they played better. We still didn’t play great and we didn’t get force enough turnovers and we lacked intensity until the last quarter.”
It was an even first half with scores level at quarter time and then North leading by one goal at half time.
Boldiston said the scoreboard reflected the closeness of the game and either side could have quite easily led at the main break.
They say the third quarter is the premiership quarter and it was the one that decided the match.
A 12-7 quarter opened up a six goal lead for North.
Changes for the Lions in the third quarter didn’t work, leaving them with a task in the final quarter.
Boldiston said they gained the momentum in the final quarter, but they weren’t able to peg it back enough.
“We created a turnover with 50 seconds to go and if we scored from that and our centre pass, scores would have been level.
“It would have taken it into over time and I reckon we would have over run them. We had the momentum and our experience was showing through.
“We had a couple of brain fades though.”
Amanda Cusack scored 28 goals for the Lions with Shelby Holter scoring 12 goals, with both shooting at 67 per cent.
The loss and finals exit is the same as last year for the Lions, who claimed the minor premiership but not able to make the final game of the year.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” Boldiston said.
“We have a good team with the right options, we just a couple of players were below par.”
it was tough weekend for the Lions all round, with their C-grade and under-19 sides also being knocked out.
It’s the first time in many years the Lions won’t have a netball team in a grand final.
Boldiston said all their teams, many which had new combinations this season, would learn from the experience.
On the football side, the Sunbury Lions reserves will play East Point in the grand final.
The under-19s were knocked out of contention on Saturday, losing to Redan 14.10 (94)-11.4 (70).
