Dela Oscar’s v Eureka to meet in grand final

Leadership: Dela Oscar's coach Jo Dash considers her many options at half time during her side’s win over Wendouree. Photo: JEFF SLY

EUREKA has put the pain of a winless 2018 season behind it, fighting through to the 2019 Athlete’s Foot Cup grand final.

Coach Jenni Nicholls has held the nucleus of her squad together for three years.

Her smile was among the broadest in the Ballarat Netball Association stadium when her players held on to win their semi final by a goal over Brown Hill.

The margin was three at three-quarter time, but Brown Hill pegged that back and took the lead with a little over six minutes to play.

Eureka steadied, with shooter Maddi Selmon accurate when it counted and held the lead by a goal with 13 seconds to play.

Brown Hill had a shot in the dying moments to try to level the scores, but it wasn’t to be.

Eureka went on to win by a goal and book a place in next Tuesday night’s grand final.

in the other semi final Dela Oscar’s showed all its class and experience to get past Wendouree.

Wendouree took the lead early, with goal keeper Tara Ford playing her best game of season.

But Dela Oscar’s defensive unit of Beth Smith and Marcelle Geljon stepped up their pressure in the second quarter and starved the Wendouree shooters of opportunity.

Lydia Jordan was outstanding for Dela, as she has been all season, and she led from the front as her team gradually built a lead.

Lavinia Fox shot 11 goals from 12 attempts in the final quarter as Dela Oscar’s went on to win by 17.

Dela Oscar’s will play Eureka in The Athlete’s Foot Cup Final at 8pm Tuesday night at the Ballarat Netball Association stadium.

The game will be live streamed by Slymedia through The Athlete’s Foot Ballarat and the Ballarat Netball Association Facebook pages.