BENDIGO Strikers coach Tracey Brereton has been left to rue some indifferent patches of netball in her VNL championship side's costly loss to Hawks on Wednesday night.
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The Strikers dropped back to eighth place on the ladder following a 59-53 defeat at the State Netball Centre.
A win over the Hawks would have propelled the Strikers into fifth spot, one win behind the fourth-placed Geelong Cougars.
But a loss, combined with a pair of unfavourable results elsewhere in the competition, most noticeably Casey Demons nine-goal upset over North East Blaze, saw the Strikers slip a few rungs.
As is often the case at VNL level, Brereton said her side had paid a severe price for some lapses in concentration, after they led by as much as seven goals in the second quarter and by two at half time, before finding themselves five down at the final break.
"It's heartbreaking how competitive we can be, but just can't get over the line sometimes," she said.
"We just have these lapses, as we did for a bit in the second (quarter) and a bit in the third, which stop us from extending the lead they we get for ourselves.
"All it takes in this level of competition is one error, or one missed goal, or you can't get it out of your defence, and then all of a sudden they score and it turns into their centre pass and things flow from there."
Despite falling two spots on the ladder, Brereton's focus - as always - is on the bigger-picture with her first-year side.
"I've always maintained that as long as we are competitive and can finish middle of the road, it is still a successful year," she said.
"I don't think other teams would like coming up against us at the moment.
"It's been tough having so many players out for the last month or so.
"If things aren't quite happening the way you want them to, sometimes you don't have as many rotations as you would like.
"But in saying that, the game was ours to win last night. It wasn't like we were extremely outplayed.
"We just have to get into the mindset that if we are up by five or six, don't hold onto it, or don't be shocked, extend it.
"Five or six goals up in championship just isn't enough."
It's heartbreaking how competitive we can be, but just can't get over the line sometimes
- Tracey Brereton
The undoubted positive for the Strikers was the return to the court of their captain Meg Williams and star young goal attack Teal Hocking from injuries.
Williams clocked in for 18 minutes in her return from an ankle injury, while Hocking (back) played 21 minutes and made nine of 11 goals attempts.
Brereton said both players would undoubtedly be better for the run.
"It's hard for them; they have been out for a while, especially Meg," she said.
"She has been frustrated, but she is back out there and hopefully she can get a bit of court time across her footy-netball league with Sandhurst and build back into it."
The news is nowhere near as bright for Milly Wicks.
The wing defence/centre will spend the next two weeks in a moonboot as she continues to recover from the foot injury that has sidelined her for the last couple of weeks at VNL level and for her BFNL team Kangaroo Flat.
The Strikers are preparing for a big next week, with clashes on Wednesday against the Blaze followed by their second ever home game at Red Energy Arena against the Geelong Cougars on Sunday, May 19.
They will be seeking revenge against the Blaze for a two-goal loss in their round four clash in March.
"I think for us, we just need to keep going week-to-week and not worry too much about the opposition," Brereton said.
"Sometimes our games are lost by us just having lapses in concentration. We are a new group and it will come.
"Among the positives last night was watching our girls just dig in and defend and, with our connection between our middies and goalers, you are starting to see a team."
Elsewhere across, the league, Melbourne University Lightning rebounded from its loss last week against the Strikers in the strongest manner possible by inflicting Boroondara Express' first loss of the season.
The Lightning, featuring Gisborne stars Claudia Mawson and Maddy Stewart, defeated the Express 56-51.
Boroondara (9-1) retained top spot on the ladder ahead of City West Falcons (8-1), which claimed its eighth straight win in a 10-goal win over Southern Saints.
North East Blaze (7-2) and Geelong Cougars (5-4) round out the top four.
Round 10 championship results
Geelong Cougars 58 d Peninsula Waves 32
City West Falcons 61 d Southern Saints 51
Melbourne University Lightning 56 d Boroondara Express 51
Casey Demons 68 d North East Blaze 59
Hawks 59 d Bendigo Strikers 53
Western Warriors bye
Young Strikers no match for ladder leaders
The first half of the season was always going to be an important learning curve for the 23-and-under Strikers and so it again proved against the Hawks on Wednesday night.
It was a tough night at the office for the Strikers, who lost by 23 goals against the ladder leaders.
A strong across the board Hawks set up their win with a 16-7 opening term before pressing home their advantage in the second quarter to lead by 17 goals at half time.
Down by 22 goals at three quarter time, the Strikers produced their best netball of the night in the final term, to finish only one goal further down.
Strikers coach Jayden Cowling said it was a tale of two-halves for his players, who showed their fighting spirit and ability to match it with the VNL's best in the second half.
"Hawks are on top of the ladder for a reason, they are a very strong unit, but we just had too many errors," he said.
"In the first quarter, we coughed up 11 turnovers and eight more in the second. Nineteen turnovers in a half of netball against a top team isn't going to win you games.
"The girls recognise that and know they just didn't execute their skills.
"There was only a few goals in it in the second half, so again we've showed we can match these teams. It's just these lapses that we continue to have that cost us."
Cowling said skipper Grace Hammond was the obvious standout with a great captain's game in the midcourt.
Chloe Langley (16 goals from 18 attempts) also continued her good recent VNL and BFNL form for the Strikers, who were without their national squad representatives Harriet Gall (required for championship duty) and Mackenzie O'Dwyer (unavailable), while Megan Wilson was prominent in defence.
Mia McCrann-Peters led the scoring for the Strikers with 17 goals from 21 attempts, while Torie Skrijel was a perfect 10 from 10 in limited court time.
Elsewhere across the league, Melbourne University Lightning maintained its hold on second spot with a 29-goal win over the Express, and the Western Warriors won the battle of the league's other two newcomers by defeating Gippsland Stars by 25 goals.
The top four after 10 rounds comprises Hawks (9-0-1), Lightning (8-1-1), Falcons (7-3) and Blaze (6-4).
23-and-under round 10 results
Hawks 66 d Bendigo Strikers 43
North East Blaze 61 d Casey Demons 46
Melbourne University Lightning 66 d Boroondara Express 37
City West Falcons 50 d Southern Saints 46
Peninsula Waves 52 d Geelong Cougars 51
Western Warriors 63 d Gippsland Stars 38
