Strikers make move up VNL ladder, sending Lightning crashing

Coming off a two-day break between games and still missing key players, the Strikers showed plenty of grit and resilience to run down the Lightning, coming from three goals down at three quarter time to prevail 53-51.

They had trailed by as many as nine goals early in the third quarter.

The win was as satisfying as any of the Strikers' three victories to date from eight matches in their first season in the state's premier netball competition.

Having been on the end of a pair of gut-wrenching defeats through the first two months of the season against North East Blaze (two goals) and Casey Demons (one goal), the wheel finally turned for the Strikers, who were able to clinch a close one.

In a full nine-player effort, goal shooter Milly Brock stood tall for the Strikers in the final stanza.

Her three unanswered goals to start the quarter levelled the scores after the Lightning had led 41-38 at three quarter time.

Another three straight at the end of quarter sunk the Lightning, who had edged 51-50 ahead late in the contest, following a run of three of their own goals from Claudia Mawson and Mikaela Vaughan.

Brereton said it was an impressive follow-up to last Sunday's bold display in Bendigo against the still undefeated ladder leaders Boroondara Express.

"When you have these types of games - Wednesday, Sunday and Wednesday again - it's a pretty big commitment for the girls, with not that much of a break," she said.

"Thankfully the Sandhurst girls actually didn't have a match last Saturday, so that worked out well, and a few others in our squad didn't have matches.

"But you could certainly see (on Wednesday night) that there was some tired girls out there, especially when we are under the pump with four injuries.

"We aren't doing too well on that (injury) front, but we are holding it together.

"I'm hoping Meg Williams (ankle) is not too far away from returning; Milly Wicks (foot) is hopefully not too far away either, the same for Teal Hocking (back).

"But all things considering, it was a pretty good win given MU is a powerhouse of the competition and was in the top-four last year.

"They have some really big names on their list - some big names that play locally in the Bendigo league - so the girls would be pretty chuffed to get one over them."

After some heartbreak against the Blaze and Demons in particular, Brereton said it was pleasing to see her players dig deep and prevail in another thriller.

"It (the margin) blew out to nine goals at one stage there (in the third quarter) - we just lost our way a bit," she said.

"But then we clawed it back. With five minutes to go, we were going goal for goal.

"When we got up by one, I was thinking 'I can't do this anymore, we can't keep having these close games without getting a win'.

"You just need a couple of things to roll you way and to keep persisting.

"Ollie (Heather Oliver) did some really important stuff in the back end of the game for us again (at goal attack), and again our defence end just keeps standing up.

"Milly Brock (41 goals at 83.67 per cent) again shot well, but it was a consistent performance by all the girls."

Brereton branded Brock's three goals to start the quarter and three at the end as match-defining.

"You would hate to be a shooter, wouldn't you? It's the only game in the world where two people decide the fate of your game," she said.

"Soccer, everyone can score ... hockey, basketball. But this is the only game in the world where only two people or positions can score for you.

"I'm still blown away by the way shooters can perform under that enormous pressure and defence."

The win propelled the Strikers above the Lightning on the ladder into sixth place ahead of a crucial clash next Wednesday against Hawks.

A win over the fifth-placed Hawks, who lost in a thriller of their own on Wednesday night against Geelong Cougars by two goals, would see the Strikers move another spot up the ladder, or potentially two if Peninsula Waves can upset the Cougars.

While ideally Brereton would have craved the Strikers turning at least one of their close losses against the Blaze or Demons into a win, she said the team was setting itself up nicely for an even stronger second half of the season.

"Our percentage is quite handy," she said.

"You do think how much different that ladder might look had we beaten Casey, or just got that draw, or have picked up another one against Blaze when we lost by two.

"But it is what it is. I'm sure other teams rue the misses and MU would be like that against us.

"That's just sport - it can be cruel."

City West Falcons 87 d Casey Demons 68

Geelong Cougars 52 d Hawks 50

Bendigo Strikers 53 d Melbourne University Lightning 51

Boroondara Express 56 d North East Blaze 50

Southern Saints v Western Warriors (Friday night)

Peninsula Waves bye