The Sunbury Lions produced some of their best netball in more than a year and a half to overcome Lake Wendouree in the Ballarat Netball League on Saturday.
The Lions’ performance was patchy at times, but coach Adam Boldiston was thrilled with how the side stepped up in the second half of the 55-36 win.
“We started off pretty well and got an early lead,” Boldiston said.
“The second quarter got a bit physical, especially on Shelby [Holter]. They got into her head.
“I felt like we didn’t have enough intensity and weren’t letting the ball go.
“Elly [Randall] was winning a lot of ball in goal keeper, but we weren’t making the most of it. I put it on the leaders at half- time.”
The lead went from five goals at half-time to 17 at three-quarter time.
“It was our best quarter of netball in nearly a year and half,” Boldiston said. “That set up the win.”
He said the leaders stood up when required and provided support for Holter.
Boldiston said that while 17-year-old Holter was rattled at half-time, he backed her in to turn it around.
“At half-time I dedicated most of the time to her and talked her through it,” he said. “The second half, she got her confidence back.”
Fellow shooter Amanda Cusack was another to regain her confidence.
After struggling so far this season, Cusack shot 45 goals from 50 attempts.
Boldiston said it was a good time for her to find some form.
“She had been down in the 60 per cent range,” he said.
The win is the Lions’ seventh. They are undefeated and on top of the ladder.
Boldiston said the coming batch of matches, against sides that would be in the finals mix, would be crucial.
This week the Sunbury Lions will face East Point.
Boldiston said some East Point players had watched the Lions’ match against the Lakers.
“They would have seen bits and pieces in the third quarter which would have made them stand up and take notice,” he said.
