A GRADE

Euroa A Grade continued their winning ways on Saturday, defeating the Shepparton Swans 61 to 52 and holding onto second place on the ladder with just one round to play.

It was a tight first quarter, with the Swans fighting for a finals spot and throwing everything they had at the Magpies.

Euroa were about to nudge ahead 13 to 15 at the first break before sprinting away to 23 to 31 at half time.

They maintained this eight-goal buffer through to three quarter time and sealed it with a nine goal win.

Olivia Morris was unstoppable at GS, slotting 50 goals, pushing her over 850 goals for the season and almost 250 more than the next best in the league.

Her partner in crime, Mia Sudomirski, has returned from Europe, and the pair's connection flicked back on like a switch, with precise shooter to shooter passes that left the Swans defenders chasing shadows.

Eliza Hoare zipped through WD, throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the ball, and was accompanied by Hollie Reid, who ran through centre on autopilot for nearly four quarters, and Sophie Owen, who rotated through all midcourt positions keeping everyone on their toes.

Sami Kreltszheim added extra zing at WA, whilst Kellie Davidson and Ellie Warnock turned the defensive end into a no-go zone, making the Swans work for every single shot.

The Magpies now look to next week’s game against Shepparton United with the aim of finishing the regular season on a high note.

B GRADE

By MOLLY REDFERN

The Euroa Magpies started game day at Princess Park with exciting news.

Newest addition to the B Grade team, Katy Frewen, was approved for the finals series by the GVL.

This news was buzzing around the court all morning and was very welcome for B Grade, who are currently holding second place on the ladder.

Katy Frewen seemed surprised by the news, asking, “If we have a secure spot to make finals?”

Rest assured, Katy, the B Graders will appear in the finals series, even after an unfortunate loss this Saturday.

Everyone has bad days, and Saturday was one of those for the Magpies.

From the first quarter, it was clear it would be close, with Euroa up by one going into the second quarter.

Goal for goal meant the score margin continued to remain tight, with the Swans going into the last half up by one.

Defenders Katy Frewen and Kelly Hill worked tirelessly for the ball, getting rebounds and applying pressure.

Midcourters Ruby Watson, Millie Watson, and Bree Sudomirski ran continuously, keeping up with the Swans’ zippy midcourters.

Shooters Sarah Ternes and Molly Redfern battled the long hands and physicality to keep the margin close.

B Reserve additions Abbie Ellis and Sienna Trotter never looked out of place when they took the court, and Saturday was no exception.

Despite Euroa’s efforts, the Swans were too good on Saturday.

The Magpies lost by two goals in the end - not the result they were hoping for - but a good game to reflect on and learn from.

The last game of the season before finals will bring us to Deakin Reserve for a match up against Shepparton United, where hopefully our B Grade players can fight their way back to the winners list.

SCOREBOARD: Shepparton Swans 46 defeated Euroa Magpies 44

BEST PLAYERS: Kelly Hill, Katy Frewen, Bree Sudomirski

UNDER 17

The Euroa 17 and under netball team secured a gutsy 45 to 44 win over the Shepparton Swans in a thrilling contest that went right down to the wire.

Determined to turn the tables after a narrow loss in their last encounter, the girls came out hungry and focused, holding a slender lead at each break in a see-sawing game full of momentum swings.

Alice Ludlow was outstanding and earned best on court honours for her clever ball movement and exceptional feeds into Ella Hill, who was dominant in the circle, standing tall under intense pressure to nail 41 of the team’s 45 goals.

Charli Pittock made a welcome return to the defensive end at Goal Keeper and, despite giving away height, more than matched her Swans opponents, combining well with Macey Watson to thwart the Swans attack.

Her ability to read the play and control the defensive circle gave Euroa crucial turnover opportunities throughout the game.

Jade Raleigh worked tirelessly at Wing Defence, as did Evie O’Dwyer, applying relentless pressure and making the Swans midcourt earn every possession.

Their efforts set the tone defensively and limited the Swans’ flow into attack.

In the midcourt, Marnie Salter and Ruby Fowler combined beautifully at times, delivering crisp passes to the shooters and navigating the physical attention from the Swans with poise and their trademark speed.

Their connection was instrumental in keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

It was a well deserved win for the Euroa players, whose hunger and teamwork carried them over the line in an entertaining and hard fought clash.

SCOREBOARD: Euroa 45 defeated Shepparton Swans 44

BEST PLAYERS: Alice Ludlow, Charli Pittock, Jade Raleigh