Strikers’ time to shine at home

BELIEF is growing at the Bendigo Strikers that not only is a VNL championship finals berth achievable this season, but that they can be serious contenders.

Coming off the biggest win of their season to date against the Gippsland Stars last week, the Strikers will carry plenty of confidence and momentum into a home contest against fellow finals aspirants Hawks this Sunday at Red Energy Arena.

It’s the second of three scheduled home games this season for the Strikers, who moved into third place on the championship ladder following a 61-37 win over the Stars.

A 36-goal victory extended their winning streak to four games and overall record to six wins from eight games.

The only blemishes remain a pair of one-goal losses to the reigning champion City West Falcons and last year’s runner-up Boroondara Express.

No surprise, the Falcons (8-0) and Express (7-1) – both perennial powerhouses – occupy the two spots on the ladder above the Strikers.

As they look to consolidate their spot in the upper echelon of the championship ladder, Strikers captain Chelsea Sartori said they were excited for another home game.

“I reckon that can help us get across the line, having the whole of Bendigo supporting us,” she said.

“Hawks are a very good team, who we have already seen this year in pre-season.

“We’ll have a few girls out, so it’s time for us all to step up, play our brand of netball and get it done.”

Red Energy Arena has been a happy hunting ground for the Strikers in their two seasons in the VNL.

The championship team won two of three games at the venue last season and made it three from four overall with a 34-goal victory over Peninsula Waves this season in round one.

Sartori said a run of four straight wins had instilled further confidence and belief in the playing group that they could be a contender come finals time.

“We’ve been playing some good netball and look to be tracking very nicely for the second half of the season,” she said.

“It didn’t matter what combination was out there (against Gippsland) – we stuck to the game plan and got it done.

“Zoe and I have been pushing the belief aspect and wanting the girls to believe that we are good enough to be in the league and are good enough to go all the way.

“At the start of the season they were probably saying ‘you two are crazy’, but now that we are starting to get going and playing the brand of netball we are, there is no reason why we can’t.

“We are the only team that has really gotten close to Falcons, so there is no reason why we can’t.

“We are building and building each week and trusting each other. The fact we can throw on any combination and it’s working, and we can get the job done – it’s going to make us hard to beat.”

A home game will also be another chance to shine for the in-form Strikers 23-and-under team, which continued its breakout season with a 57-39 win over the Stars.

It was their third-straight win and seventh overall, pushing them way beyond last year’s tally of four victories in their debut season.

Sartori said the performance of the 23-and-unders was an immense source of pride within the club.

“They have started off the season amazingly,” she said.

“To be third on the ladder after winning only four games last year is amazing.

“We (the championship playing group) are making sure we are right behind them and supporting them as much as possible.

“For only our second year, the club as a whole is doing it very, very well.”

Strikers v Hawks game schedule: Championship – 3pm; 23-and-under – 1.30pm; VNL Reserves – 11.45am.

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