THE Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers have won their first game in the inaugural TAC Cup Girls competition after beating the Gippsland Power at Golden Square on Friday.
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The Pioneers used a flying start to set up their 7.1 (43) to 3.5 (23) victory in front of a good crowd for their first game in Bendigo.
Bendigo led 4.0 to 0.0 at the first break, with the sharp opening decisive in the final result as both sides kicked three goals apiece after quarter-time.
“Our starts to games have been one area we’ve tried to work on and slowly but surely we have improved and the girls were very good early today,” Pioneers coach Shawn McCormick said.
As well as the strong start that forced Gippsland to play catch-up football, one of the key differences between the two sides was the Pioneers’ ability to capitalise inside 50.
Both teams had eight scoring shots, but the Pioneers’ made more of their opportunities with 7.1 to Gippsland’s 3.5.
“It was fantastic for the girls to get some reward considering there has been some games this year where we’ve had more scoring shots than the opposition, but lost, which is a cardinal sin,” McCormick said.
The best players for the Pioneers in their historic first win were led by Maddy Baldwin (two goals) through the midfield and across half-forward, ball-magnet Aisling Tupper, centre half-back Jordyn Joliffe and Brianna Woodburn (three goals).
Match details:
Bendigo Pioneers 4.0 5.0 6.1 7.1 (43) d Gippsland Power 0.0 1.5 2.5 3.5 (23).
Goals – Bendigo Pioneers: B. Woodburn 3, E. Zanker 2, M. Baldwin 2.
Best – Bendigo Pioneers: M. Baldwin, A. Tupper, J. Jolliffe, B. Woodburn, L. Newton, M. Williamson.
Meanwhile, the Bendigo Pioneers under-16s rounded out their three-game campaign with another win.
The Pioneers, coached by Dean Sheldrick, defeated Gippsland by 13 points, 7.11 (53) to 6.4 (40), to back up their earlier wins against the Murray Bushrangers by 17 points and Greater Western Victoria Rebels by three points.
Match details:
Bendigo Pioneers 2.5 3.5 6.8 7.11 (53) d Gippsland Power 0.0 3.1 3.2 6.4 (40).
Goals – Bendigo Pioneers: L. Radcliffe 2, J. Schischka, M. Rovers, J. Nesci, L. Caccaviello, M. Lias 1.
Best – Bendigo Pioneers: Z. McDonald, C. Fisher, L. Fitzgerald, L. Caccaviello, A. Grundy, Z. Shelton.
The TAC Cup country round continues on Saturday when the Bendigo Pioneers under-18s take on the Gippsland Power at the QEO.
Having defeated the GWV Rebels by 12 points last Sunday, their game on Saturday presents a chance for the Pioneers to win two in a row for the first time since 2014.
Saturday’s round three game starts at 10am.
