By Marcus Uhe
Olinda Ferny Creek has recovered from a slow start to make a winning beginning to its A-grade netball premiership defence.
Upwey Tecoma outscored the reigning premiers 11-7 in the first quarter and kept pace at the half with both sides tied on 22.
But Olinda Ferny Creek turned on the jets in the second half with a dominant 27-13 half-hour of netball, running out 14-goal winners 49-35.
Hayley Howard’s 40 goals outscored the Tigers single-handedly, in a dominant performance.
Tigers’ skipper Jessica Black led the way for her side with 26 goals.
Gembrook played host to a tight battle between the Brookers and Berwick.
Berwick inched its way ahead as the game continued, entering the last quarter with a six-goal lead, before finishing stronger than their opponents in green.
The versatility offered by Berwick’s trio of shooting options in Emma Clarke (13 goals) Brooke Abu-Jaber (14) and Darcy Utber (13) provided 40 goals to the Brookers’ 32.
Chelsea Ingram’s 19 goals did the bulk of the scoring for Gembrook-Cockatoo.
At Monbulk, a strong first half performance kept the Hawks at arms-length against Beaconsfield.
Elizabeth Murphy scored 35 of Beaconsfield’s 41 goals as they held on to win by six goals.
On Sunday, Wandin survived a late fightback from Mount Evelyn to sneak home with a five-goal win on the road.
The Bulldogs entered the final term with a nine-goal lead that was withered down to five by the final whistle.
Emmalia Blake’s 40 goals were telling for Wandin in the 45-40 result.
Next week will see the first full-suite of fixtures in A-grade, with Narre Warren and Pakenham returning to the court after last weekend’s split round.
