![Bendigo Strikers players celebrate their first championship division win following a 42-goal victory over the Peninsula Waves on Wednesday night. Bendigo Strikers players celebrate their first championship division win following a 42-goal victory over the Peninsula Waves on Wednesday night.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j98Hh85wiUB5yeTBh2fLTR/9516be71-d0c1-4e9c-89a6-3921d1f05040.jpg/r0_259_2048_1538_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A MAGNIFICENT four-quarter effort propelled the Bendigo Strikers to their first VNL championship victory, downing the Peninsula Waves by 42 goals at the State Netball Centre on Wednesday night.
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The Strikers - brilliantly led in the absence of their skipper Meg Williams by vice-captains Milly Brock and Chelsea Sartori - dominated the round four contest from the opening whistle en route to a historic and emphatic 77-35 win.
A win and plenty of momentum for coach Tracey Brereton's side came on the back of a trio of ultra-competitive performances during the opening four weeks of the season against established VNL big guns, the Southern Saints, reigning premiers City West Falcons and North East Blaze.
The Strikers put the writing on the wall that a groundbreaking victory was not too far away with a barnstorming finish to last week's clash against the Blaze, coming from seven goals down at three quarter time to claw their way to within two goals of the strong championship contenders.
They picked up from where they left off, notching up the first five goals of the match before the Waves hit the scoreboard for the first time.
The Waves' opener from the hands of Emmalia Black did nothing to stem the momentum of the VNL newcomers, who clinically increased their lead to 8-1.
A further run of six goals later in the quarter, all from shooter Brock, helped set up a convincing 23-7 quarter time lead.
Showing the benefits of getting some consistent match-play together under their belts, the Strikers underpinned their dominance with a 17-11 second quarter to eke out a match-winning 40-18 half time lead.
The Strikers showed no signs of letting up in the third quarter, exceeding their previous highest score of 54 (against the Blaze) during the term, before ending the stanza with a 61-26 lead.
They capped a commanding and ultimately confidence-boosting performance by maintaining their supremacy with a 15-9 final quarter to win by 42 goals.
Goal shooter Brock proved unstoppable, finishing the match with an imposing 51 goals at 85 per cent accuracy.
She was well supported by star young goal attack Teal Hocking with 26 goals at 89.66 per cent.
Coach Brereton could not have been prouder of her side's effort against the Waves and to see them continue the momentum they ended last week's game against the Blaze with.
"They just went bang - it was 8-1 in the first five or six minutes. I sat there and thought this is exactly what we have been working towards," she said.
"You knew that it was coming, but I did say to them that just because we had been playing well, it doesn't mean you deserve it, or are just going to get it.
"It wasn't just going to come, they still had to work hard and that is exactly what they did for the full four quarters.
"There was some great performances out there. I thought Milly Brock and Charlotte Sexton were excellent and Ash Ryan had a really good game.
"Now that they have that taste of winning, you learn to win and you hope that it just becomes a habit."
![The Strikers savour their first championship division win over the Waves. The Strikers savour their first championship division win over the Waves.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j98Hh85wiUB5yeTBh2fLTR/44a646f5-c732-48f5-91ed-b0112769afed.jpg/r0_305_2048_1456_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A stirring performance was made all the more remarkable by the fact the Strikers had just eight players available to take the court against the Waves.
Williams, defender Imogen Sexton - one of the team's most in-form players during the first three games - and goaler Bridgette Furphy were all sidelined for the clash.
"To still be able to produce some netball like that with those players out against an established VNL club, I'm very happy," Brereton said.
"The thing I really love about this group of netballers, and I said it to them after the game, is they really listen to what you are saying as a coach and they really go and try to fix and do.
"You can't ask for anymore than that.
"At the moment we are just taking it game to game, and whoever we come up against we just focus on that. But I'm very happy."
Now that they have that taste of winning, you learn to win and you hope that it just becomes a habit
- Tracey Brereton
"The girls got a huge applause at the end, which was fantastic," she said.
"From here, we need to make sure this is something sustainable and something we can keep going."
The 42-goal margin was the biggest of the VNL championship season to date, eclipsing Boroondara Express' 33-goal triumph over the Waves in round two.
The Express head the ladder on five straight wins, ahead of the Blaze at 4-0.
The Strikers jumped to ninth spot on the ladder, overtaking next week's opponent, the Casey Demons (1-4).
Round 5 results
City West Falcons 66 d Western Warriors 57
Bendigo Strikers 77 d Peninsula Waves 35
Boroondara Express 60 d Southern Saints 48
North East Blaze 52 d Melbourne University Lightning 41
Hawks 66 d Casey Demons 52
Geelong Cougars bye