IT WASN'T a pretty win, by her own admission, but Strathfieldsaye coach Steph Freemantle says she was happy to take the four points against Maryborough last Saturday any way they came.
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A plucky Storm fought back from a four-goal deficit at three quarter time to defeat the Magpies 48-45 and register their second win of the season from six games.
In a tremendous show of character by the Storm, they had trailed for most of the day.
For Freemantle, an undoubted positive was banking a win with her team playing below its best.
"It wasn't our best game, we had Ava (goal attack Ava Hamilton) coming off the flu, and we just weren't quite on top of things," she said.
"As much as we'd lost our last two games, Gisborne and Castlemaine both commented that they thought we were quite competitive and we certainly had some good moments in those games.
"The Castlemaine coach (Gary Cooke) said he felt our intensity was really impressive when we played them, which are good things to hear.
"We didn't play a great game (on Saturday), but we got there in the end.
"Being able to fight back after not playing our best netball and to pull it all together was still pleasing."
Freemantle paid credit to Maryborough for a tough contest.
The Magpies entered the contest in handy form with wins over Golden Square and Eaglehawk bookmarking an ultra-competitive round four performance against Gisborne.
"Even though they are in a similar spot to us on the ladder, they are always competitive," Freemantle said
"They are very athletic and it's good to see they have Jordan (Macilwain) back.
"A few of their 17-and-under girls played, so there are plenty of good signs for them."
Standout performers for the Storm were Hamilton, midcourt recruit Brylee Wilson and young defender Emmie Banfield.
"Brylee only played a half, but she completely changed the intensity of the game and was a big reason for us getting across the line," she said.
"She worked very hard at chasing down balls, getting tips and hassling their centre and wing attack.
"And Emmie Banfield is just continuing to get better and better. She's more naturally a goal keeper, but I have been playing her out at goal defence. Her and Keisha Tonzing have been working very well together."
The other real bright spot was the last quarter performance of Layla O'Shea, up from the Storm's 17-and-under team, at goal keeper.
"For her first quarter in A-grade, she absolutely smashed it, Freemantle said.
While the Storm did not move from eighth spot on the ladder, they are level on wins with Maryborough in seventh place, but more importantly only one win behind fifth-placed Castlemaine and half a win behind sixth-placed Kyneton.
A tough two weeks await against South Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat after this weekend's break, but Freemantle is already looking forward to the challenge.
In a tremendous boost for morale and the playing stocks, Cailtlyn Hamilton is approaching a return from the knee injury she sustained last year.
Freemantle said the early plan was for her to resume with 'a quarter here and there' in A-reserve.
"When she is feeling like she is ready she 'll be back on the court in the next month or so," she said.
"She will add a lot of depth to our team."
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