Torquay roars at home to win netball flag

TORQUAY have won this year’s Bellarine Netball League A Grade grand final, defeating Geelong Amateur 38-25 with a commanding performance.

The home side took a slight advantage in the first quarter of the game at Spring Creek Reserve, leading 8 to 6, but then pulled away in the next two quarters to set up a comfortable finish.

Torquay netball coach Courtney Cuolahan said she was delighted with style in which the team won.

“It was a real team effort. Everyone played their role on the day and to walk away with the premiership was so special.”

Torquay and Geelong have been the two dominant sides throughout the season, with the Tigers finishing first and the Ammos second.

Yet Torquay’s only two losses during the season had come to Geelong Amateur. The first was on the opening day of the season, where the Ammos won by a single point, and the second in semi-final, where Torquay were defeated 40 to 28.

Cuolahan said this loss gave the team a chance to show their resilience.

“It was a really good chance for us to reassess, and to the girls credit they were able to dig deep and show everyone what they were capable of.”

The semi-final loss forced Torquay into a preliminary final against Modewarre where they recaptured their form, winning the game 46 to 35.

Torquay last won the league in 2016, where they defeated Geelong Amateur 31 to 30.

Geelong Amateur won the premiership in 2015, but since then have played and lost all the following four grand finals.

The Ammos did win the B Grade premiership, defeating Barwon Heads 46 to 38.

Drysdale won a low-scoring C Grade grand final, defeating Ocean Grove 23 to 18.

Ocean Grove won the D Grade premiership, with a convincing 24 to 12 win over Geelong Amateur.

Barwon Heads defeated Ocean Grove 28 to 18 to win the E Grade grand final.