Bendigo is Dandenong's bogey.

Spirit has won the past 12 contests between the clubs.

Fighting to hold its place in the top two, or perhaps be No.1 at the end of the regular season, Bendigo is fired up for a big game against a Rangers line-up that includes Penny Taylor, Kathleen Macleod, Cappie Pondexter, Alice Kunek and Tegan Cunningham.

A skilful Spirit squad includes Kelsey Griffin, Gabe Richards, Belinda Snell, Kelly Wilson, Sara Blicavs and Chelsea Aubry.

Tip-off at Dandenong is at 7.30pm.

Starting five - Bendigo: Blicavs, Griffin, Richards, Snell, Wilson. Dandenong: Clydesdale, Kunek, Pickrell, Pondexter, Taylor.

7.32pm: Spirit first to score through Gabe Richards, jump shot - 2-0.

7.33pm: Belinda Snell sinks three-pointer. Spirit lead 5-0 after 41 seconds.

7.34pm: Rangers replay through Clydesdale, but Bendigo answers with jump shot by Kelsey Griffin. Spirit up 7-5.

7.34pm: Pickrel sinks jump shot for Dandenong. Spirit leads 7-4 after less than two minutes in a frenetic start.

7.35pm: Rangers within a point after Pondexter jump shot. Spirit 7-6 at 7.30.

7.36pm: Penny Taylor scores two from jump shot to put Rangers in front, 8-7 almost three minutes gone.

7.37pm: Dandenong leads 11-7 after Pickrell two from jump shot is followed by one at foul-line. Spirit has missed six consecutive scoring attempts.

7.38pm: Spirit's Sara Blicavs scores two, which is followed by two-point plays by Pondexter and then Gabe Richards. Dandenong leads 13-11 at 5.35 to go in first quarter.

7.39pm: Bendigo regains lead after three-pointer by Kelsey Griffin. Spirit 14-13 at 4.44 to go.

7.40pm: Pondexter on target with both foul shots. Dandenong leads 15-14.

7.40pm: Kunek steals and then scores two from jump shot for Rangers to lead 17-14.

7.41pm: Spirit responds brillinatly. Griffin two is followed by a Kelly Wilson three-pointer as Spirit leads 19-17.

7.42pm: Griffin and Wilson on target as Bendigo opens up a six-point lead at three minutes to go.

7.45pm: Three by Penny Taylor puts Rangers whtin three at 1.48 to play.

7.46pm: Sara Blicavs scores two points for Spirit, 25-20 at 54 seconds on clock.

7.47pm: Alice Kunek connects on jump shot for Rangers. Spirit up 25-22 at 36 seconds.

7.48pm: Rangers make strong finish to quarter. Clydesdale jump shot makes it 25-24 in favour of Bendigo at six seconds on clock.

7.49: Quarter-time - Bendigo Spirit leads 25-24. Spirit attack led by Griffin, nine; Wilson, five; Blicavs, Richards four; Snell three. Dandenong's scorers are Pondexter six; Pickrel, Taylor five; Clydesdale, Kunek four.

7.52pm: Rangers back in front after Lauren Scherf scores two points. Dandenong leads 26-25.

7.53pm: It's 26-all after Kelsey Griffin scores one at foul line.

7.53pm: Penny Taylor's jump shot goes through net as Dandenong leads 28-26 at 8.51 to play.

7.55pm: Dandenong races to six-point lead after Pondexter two is followed by two from Taylor. Rangers up 32-26 at 7.41 to go.

7.55pm: Taylor adds another two at foul-line. Dandenong leads 34-26. 

7.56pm: Griffin scores two points for Bendigo and then adds another point from foul line to cut deficit to five.

7.57pm: Tegan Cunningham adds two from Taylor assist.

8pm: Spirit strikes back. Blicavs adds one at foul line and then scores two from jump shot. Dandenong leads 34-32. 

8pm: Kelly Wilson adds one at foul line to put Spirit within a point. Rangers leads 34-33 approaching halfway mark of second quarter.

8.03pm: Maddie Garrick scores three points as Spirit leads 38-36, before Cunningham and Blicavs add two each to make it 38-11.

8.04pm: Blicavs adds point at foul line. Spirit leads 39-38 at 3.50 to play in half.

8.05pm: Dandenong regains lead after two from Scherft. Rangers up 40-39.

8.07pm: Pickrel capitalises on Scherf steal to add another two points for Rangers. Dandenong leads 42-39.

8.08pm: Another two by Pickrel. Dandenong up 44-39 at 95 seconds to go in half.

8.11pm: Gabe Richards scores two points for Bendigo at 28 seconds to play.

8.12pm: Half-time Dandenong leads Bendigo 44-41.

Leading stats - Points - Dandenong: Pickrel, Taylor 9; Pondexter 8; Cunningham 6. Bendigo: Griffin 13, Blicavs 10, Richards, Wilson 6.

Rebounds - Dandenong (18): Pondexter 7, Cunningham, Taylor 3. Bendigo (21): Wilson 4, Blicavs, Griffin, Richards 4. 

Half-time wrap: Momentum has ebbed and flowed for both line-ups in such a crucial contest.

Bendigo dominated early before Dandenong settled to end the first quarter just a point behind a club that has won its past 12 hit-outs against the Rangers.

It was Dandenong's turn to seize control early in the second quarter.The Rangers went on an 8-2 run before Spirit struck back through points from Kelsey Griffin (3), Kelly Wilson (2) and Sara Blicavs (2). 

Spirit's fighting quality to fore as it regained the lead at 3.50 to go in half. Rangers won the final minutes, 6-2, to hold a three-point break going into the second half of what's been a superb match.

8.,29pm: Two points by Gabe Richards is quickly answered by Pondexter.

8.30pm: Blicacs adds two points for Bendigo, but Dandenong goes up by four after three-pointer from Penny Taylor. Rangers lead 49-45 at 8.16 to go.

8.31pm: Taylor adds another two, but Spirit replies through Wilson, two at foul line. Rangers up 51-47.

8.31pm: Pondexter scores from jump shot. Dandenong leads 53-47 at 7.14 to play.

8.33pm: Rangers have raced to a 10-point lead after Pickrel scores consecutive two-point baskets. Spirit in trouble at 6.31 to play in third quarter.

8.34pm: Kunek adds another two points for Rangers. Dandenong up 59-47 at 5.59 to go.

8.34pm: Snell finally breaks Spirit's run of missed shots by scoring two points. Rangers by 10.

8.37pm: Pondexter adds another two points for Rangers. Dandenong up 61-49 halfway through third quarter.

8.38pm: Kunek two puts Rangers up by 14. Dandenong has dominated quarter, 19-8.

8.40pm: Griffin sinks both shots from foul line. Spirit trails 51-63 at 2.27 to go in quarter.

8.41pm: Rangers lead back to single digits after Chelsea Aubry three for Spirit.

8.41pm: Kunek two makes it 65-54 in favour of Rangers at 1.37 to go.

8.42pm: Kelsey Griffin adds one at foul line, but Kunek three-pointer has Dandenong up by 13 points.

8.44pm: Belinda Snell makes one of two free throws. Rangers lead 68-57.

8.45pm: Aubry three-pointer is answered with a three by Kunek. Rangers lead 71-60 at 18 seconds to play.

8.46pm: Buzzer. Dandenong leads 71-60 at a quarter to play. Rangers' attack led by Kunek 16; Pondexter, Taylor 14; Pickrel 13. Leading scorers for Spirit are Blicavs 12; Richards, Wilson 7; Snell 7.

8.49pm: Belinda Snell scores first two points of last quarter. Dandenong leads 71-62.

8.50pm: After a series of missed shots, two by Bendigo and one by Dandenong, Pickrel scores two as Dandenong leads 73-62.

8.52pm: Taylor's match tally up to 16 as she adds another two. Rangers lead 75-62 at 8.16 to play.

8.53pm: Snell scores two for Bendigo before Cunningham replies for Rangers.

8.55pm: Richards adds two from jump shot to put Bendigo within 11 at 6.38 to play.

8.56pm: Griffin scores two more for Spirit. Rangers lead 77-68 at just over six minutes to play.

8.56pm: Griffin capitalises on turnover to score another two. Spirit within seven at 5.39 to play.

8.58pm: Griffin adds one at foul line. Rangers lead 77-71.

9.01pm: Rangers have missed four consecutive shots in row. Kelly Wilson wins defensive rebound from which Kelsey Griffin is fouled and hits both at line. Dandenong leads 77-73 at 3.53 to play.

9.02pm: Pondexter scores two from jump shot. Rangers lead 79-73 at 3.17 to play.

9.03pm: Pondexter adds one at foul line. Rangers up by seven at 3.17 to go.

9.06pm: Penny Taylor hits both shots at free throw line before Opals team-mate Belinda Snell scores two points for Bendigo. Rangers lead 82-75.

9.06pm: Pickrell replies for Rangers by scoring two from jump shot. 

9.07pm: Spirit miss from consecutive shots, but Kunek makes no mistake to put Dandenong up by 11 at 2.03 to play.

9.10pm: Dandenong leads 87-80 at 1.14 to play. 

9.12pm: Bendigo Spirit fighting hard, but Rangers have the answers. Dandenong leads 89-22 after Kelly Wilson scores two from jump shot.

9.13pm: Game over. Dandenong breaks Bendigo's hoodoo. Rangers win 89-82.

Leading scores for Dandenong were Alice Kunek 21, Penny Taylor 18, Annalise Pickrell 17, Cappie Pondexter 17. 

Spirit forward Kelsey Griffin achieves game-high 23 points. Sara Blicavs 17, Belinda Snell 13, Gabe Richards 10, and Kelly Wilson 10 all hit double figures.

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