PORTLAND’S division one netballers claimed victory in their must-win Hampden Netball League elimination final on Sunday, defeating South Warrnambool 42-39 at Hanlon Park.

The match was even throughout the first term, with the Tigers able to secure a slim three-goal lead heading into the second quarter.

And it was across the middle two quarters where Portland was at its best, generating turnovers through the midcourt which they were able to capitalise on in the goal circle thanks to a formidable duo of Jess Cook and Lauren Hockley.

However, the Roosters had one last fourth-quarter push in them, as they were able to generate some turnovers of their own and in doing so made inroads into Portland’s scoreboard advantage.

The Tigers were ultimately able to stave off this final quarter run to hang on to victory and thus a semi-final berth on Sunday.

Co-captain Casey Anson said her side had played well to hang on to their lead against a determined opposition.

“It can be so hard to hold a lead when your opposition just has nothing to lose,” Anson said.

“We were able to get out to a lead mainly because we applied a lot of pressure, I thought we played a very steady game whereas they were quite defensive for a lot of it.”

Anson said their midcourt was a highlight of the day, as they were able to generate the extra possessions which enabled them to gain the advantage on the scoreboard.

“Tonaya (Bannam) and Cherie (Baker) played a great game… their ball movement was also excellent,” Anson said.

“This was a good victory to help get the nerves out of the way, I think we’ll go into Sunday’s semi-final against Hamilton with a lot of confidence.”

Division two makes use of second chance

Portland’s division two netballers will need to make the most of their double chance this Sunday after they went down to Hamilton Kangaroos 39-30 over in Camperdown in Saturday’s qualifying final.

The Tigers trailed early but were within reach of their opposition through the first half, with the scoreline reading 18-14.

However, the Roos gained the upper-hand more firmly in the second half, pushing their lead out to nine goals by the final change, which ultimately proved to be the final margin of victory.

The Tigers will have to regroup quickly and gear-up for next week’s semi-final against Koroit as they look to push their finals run further along.

Open results

Cobden proved far too strong for Koroit in the Open qualifying final on Saturday, winning 47-29, and they’ll now take on South Warrnambool for a spot in the grand final this weekend.

Meanwhile, the Saints will have Warrnambool to contend with in the first semi-final on Sunday, as the Blues knocked out Hamilton in the elimination final 42-38 on Sunday.