Hawks win thriller for final berth

Augusta-Margaret River will take on Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault in the West Country Netball League grand final tomorrow night after defeating Bunbury by a goal in a nailbiting preliminary final at the weekend.

With centre Ingrid Colyer driving the Hawks forward AMR had three goals on the scoreboard before Bunbury settled.

Wing attack Chelsea Warren took control and fed the ball into goalies Zoe Alberti and Charmain Slater, who found their target and led the Bulldogs to a two-goal quarter-time lead.

In the second quarter the Hawks’ circle defenders Lindsay Boddy and Stacey Semini increased their pressure while at the other end of the court Emily Bongers and Janet Smith found space.

AMR’s attacking duo shot accurately, allowing them to fight back for a one-goal half-time lead.

The Bulldogs brought height and fresh legs into defence after the break with Jodie Coutts coming on at goalkeeper and Selena Golding swinging to wing defence.

The changes had an immediate impact and with Alberti hitting her shots Bunbury headed into three-quarter time up by three.

Colyer and Rikki Ball were having a great contest in the centre but a couple of strong rebounds by Semini in defence propelled the Hawks forward to tie the scores.

The match went goal-for-goal with nothing able to split the teams and when the final bell sounded AMR had its nose in front.

In A Reserve, Donnybrook claimed a narrow 38-35 victory over South Bunbury to progress to the grand final against the Lions.

Scores were level at half-time but Dons centre Ebony Trigwell attacked every ball and fed goalies Emma Dale and Stewart with some precision passing to set up a one-goal three quarter-time lead.

Donnybrook did enough in the final term to hold on for a tough win.

The match provided entertaining one-on-one battles with A-Reserve best and fairest Jess Sheehan in defence taking on South Bunbury goalie Gemma Combes and Donnybrook stalwart Rae Stewart matching it with Sarah Altham.

In the 17 and Under division Carey Park saw off Busselton 41-33 to book a place in the grand final against Bunbury.

Panthers’ young gun Arieti Scholtz fed goalies Gemma Stewart and Tiana Brown for a five-goal break at half-time and they survived a third-quarter surge from the Magpies to win comfortably.