By JARROD POTTER
BRINGING the best back home, former Gippsland Storm juniors went full circle to play Victorian Netball League clashes on their junior courts.
For the best of the region’s netball talent, the pathway from Gippsland Storm to Monash Storm VNL has been seamless after the two clubs merged last year and it is paying off handsomely with five Gippslanders in the senior line-ups.
The three grades – Championship, Division 1 and Under-19 – switched their Wednesday night usual clash for a return-to-roots showdown against the Melbourne Uni Lightning on Saturday at Cardinia Life in Pakenham.The Storm VNL Championship side shot out to an early lead, but was caught up by the Lightning in a 39-46 loss.
The Lightning’s star shooter Mikaela Vaughan – who hit 37 goals at 81 per cent – was too much for the Storm and not even the home crowd could rouse a fight back for the yellow-and-black brigade.
Monash Storm rotated the shooters with Janelle Lawson (16 goals), former Storm junior Tayla Shannon (11) and Shae Gee (10) leading the scoresheet in the seven-goal defeat.
The Division 1 Storm was a lot stronger and snared a narrow 45-44 triumph with 27 goals to Natalie Billings. In contrast, the Under-19s fell by the narrowest of margins in a 34-35 defeat as Gippsland junior Kasey Teakle (Inverloch) hit five goals alongside junior team-mate Hannah Flanders – who struck 10 goals after switching in from wing attack.
Storm juniors Kaela Hughes (Beaconsfield) and Ally Kirkpatrick (Hampton Park) all excelled in the slender loss while Narre Warren’s Victorian state representative Matilda Garrett battled bravely in goal defence against the Lightning.
Meanwhile, the Pakenham Power has made it through to the grand final in its debut season in the Eastern Region State League under-17 championships. The Power, who made it through at Gippsland’s expense, will now meet East Gippsland in Friday night’s title decider at the Churchill Leisure Centre, Northways Road, Churchill. The game commences at 7pm.
