
MITIAMO and reigning premiers Bridgewater remain the only two undefeated teams after just three rounds in LVFNL A-grade netball following victories on Saturday.
The Superoos showed plenty of composure and skill to defeat fellow premiership contender Newbridge by nine goals at Riverside Park, while the Mean Machine were too good for Inglewood to the tune of 38 goals.
Mitiamo coach Kylie Piercy praised the spread of contributions in the 53-44 win, which was marked by fast starts in each of the first three quarters to the Maroons, before the Superoos wrested control in the middle and latter stages.
"The heat took its toll a little in the last quarter for us, but we had done all the hard work earlier," she said.
"Our slow starts to each quarter is something we have to work on - everyone seems to get a jump on us, but we peg them back.
"Whether it takes a little while to get our rhythm back after a break, or it's something else I don't know, but it's fine at the moment. We are sticking to our game and the principles of our game and it's coming out the goods for us."
Piercy was reluctant to read too much into her team's bright 3-0 start.
She believed a better indication of the Superoos' strength would come at the halfway mark of the season, when every team had met each other once.
Rival coaches Piercy and Jane Reid were in agreeance when it came to the most effective player on court, with returning Superoos star Laura Hicks their clear standout.
"For us, it was really hard to find a best player because all eight girls deserve the recognition, but if I had to pick a couple Laura and Lucy (Morcom) were solid," she said.
Morcom was well-backed in defence by Kiarni Stewart, who has opened the season in great touch, while Gabrielle Marlow was damaging in the midcourt.
Maroons coach Reid drew positives from her players effort to play out the game, with the last quarter their best after finding themselves down by double figures by 13 at the last change.
"It could have been worse than what it was without last quarter ... but I was still pleased with parts of our game," she said.
"We showed some good things, but we were just playing catch up all game.
"Rach Pettifer was very consistent in the midcourt all game and led well.
"Our second best was Lauren Knight, who came up from B-grade to fill in, with one of our defenders away. She always gives 100 per cent and today was no exception."
The Maroons will look to rebound next Saturday against Inglewood and hope to be boosted by the return from injury of their 2017 league medallist Meg Jennings.
In Saturday's other game, Calivil United defeated Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 55-29.
Meanwhile, Maiden Gully YCW scored its first win of the season on Good Friday against Marong 61-50.
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