Strathfieldsaye centre Brianna Dalrymple-Monro won her second Betty Thompson Medal on Sunday night.
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The midcourt marvel collected three votes in the final game of the season against Gisborne to break a deadlock with Gisborne star Maddy Stewart.
Stewart, who didn’t play in the final round, and Dalrymple-Monro had been locked on 28 votes heading into the last game.
Dalrymple-Monro’s best on court gave her 31 votes, three clear of Stewart, with Maryborough’s Laura Hurse third on 24 votes.
Last year’s Betty Thompson Medal winner, Sandhurst’s Heather Oliver, was fourth with 22 votes.
Dalrymple-Monro won her first Betty Thompson Medal in 2011 when she played for Sandhurst. She also finished second last year.
“I’m in a lot of shock. I didn’t think I did that well this year and there’s so many awesome girls that I get to play against,’’ Dalrymple-Monro said.
Dalrymple-Monro, who became the first Strathfieldsaye netballer to win the award, said she was stunned to poll votes in round 18.
“I got concussed in the last quarter,’’ she said.
“I didn’t think I was going to do well at all.”
Dalrymple-Monro and Stewart were neck-and-neck throughout the vote count.
Stewart polled best on court votes in the opening two rounds to grab an early lead, but by round five Dalrymple-Monro was in front after she polled votes in four-straight rounds.
At the end of round 10 Dalrymple-Monro and Stewart were locked on 17 votes and by round 14 they were both on 23 votes.
Hurse polled three best on court votes between rounds 13 and 15 to move within two votes of the leaders.
However, Dalrymple-Monro and Stewart polled five votes each in rounds 16 and 17 to set up the grandstand finish.
The Storm won the round 18 clash by nine goals and Dalrymple-Monro got the umpire’s nod for best on court.
It was a special night for the Dalrymple-Monro family.
Brianna’s twin sister Erica won the Holborn Medal for best and fairest in the A-reserve netball. The twins now have two league medals each.
“Erica had a really good season and it’s pretty amazng that twin sisters did well,’’ Brianna said.
Betty Thompson Medal leaderboard:
31 – Brianna Dalrymple-Monro (Strath), 28 – Maddy Stewart (Gis), 24 – Laura Hurse (Mb), 22 – Heather Oliver (Sh), 19 – Emma Webb (Kyn), 17 – Elly Lawton (Eh), Ruby Barkmeyer (KF), Alicia Cassidy (Mb).