TERRIFIC TIGERS

By Matt Fotia

The Yea Tigers have gone back to back in the Division Two A Grade Netball after a consistent four quarter effort against persistent foes Seville at the Yarra Glen Recreation Reserve on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

The 46-34 victory was the Tigers fourth victory over Seville this season, the first of which came in round one. Yea lost just one game for the entire year, a one goal loss to Yarra Glen in round 14, as they dominated the competition from start to finish following on from their equally impressive 2018.  

Seville were never truly outclassed by the Tigers, much like throughout the year, but could never really grab the ascendancy over the Tigers, who with the victory claimed their second premiership for the day, after they defeated the Blues 28-25 in the D Grade decider earlier that morning. 

Leading by four goals at the first change ,12 to eight, Yea then built further with another 12 goal quarter as the two Coppinger’s (Tayissa and Samantha) began to assert themselves further up the court, with Tayissa winning her duel agains the impressive Carly McDonnell – Seville’s Netball Coach, who has successfully steered the Blues to four Grand Finals across the grades in 2019 – in the Blues attacking goal circle, whilst Samantha went head to head in a tantalising mid court battle against the Blues Ella Bayliss. 

The second half mirrored the first half, with Yea and Seville both maintaining a very high level of netball, with the Tigers level slightly higher than the Blues. This grand final differed greatly to the 2018 edition, with the Tigers winning last years final against Kinglake by just one goal. 

This time around they were keeping this game well within their grasp for its entirety. 

The Tigers extended their lead by four goals in the third quarter, with Division Two leading goal shooter and Yea spearhead Melissa Martinov beginning to get more and more involved, on her way to a game high 29 goals, combining well with Nikki Watts who finished the day with 17. 

Seville bounced back in the final quarter to score nine goals of their own, with prized recruit Jackie Cullimore bringing her game total to 23, but once again Yea had their measure netting 11 of their own.

The result meant Seville (B and C) and Yea (A and D) both finished the year with two netball premierships, showing that both clubs netball programs are something to be admired and if possible, replicated. 

Yea Goal Defence Tayissa Coppinger was awarded the Jade Hottes Medal for Best on Court.

YEA 12, 24, 35, 46

Defeated 

SEVILLE 8, 18, 25, 34

Goals ;

YEA ; Martinov 29, Watts 17

SEVILLE ; Cullimore 23, McDonnell 7, Nolan 4

Best ;

YEA ; T.Coppinger *, S.Coppinger, M.Martinov

SEVILLE ; E.Bayliss, S.McNay, C.McDonnell 

*Denotes Jade Hottes Medalist