Bendigo Spirit have shrugged off a protracted scoreless drought and a late scare to notch their first win of the WNBL season, beating Geelong Venom 62-55.
The reigning champions had to work hard for it, going more than nine minutes without a score either side of three-quarter time at Bendigo's Red Energy Arena on Tuesday night, before snapping their cold spell down the stretch.
Gun recruit Isobel Borlase scored 20 points for the Spirit, while Marianna Tolo paired 16 points with nine rebounds.
Import Mackenzie Holmes was huge for the Venom, racking up 30 points and 12 boards before fouling out late, which helped Bendigo seize the initiative.
Geelong's depth, already tested with Alissa Pili (ankle) and Shyla Heal (knee) sidelined, took another hit when forward Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard entered concussion protocols after hitting her head on the floor virtually on halftime.
The Venom turned a 12-point third-quarter deficit into a one-point advantage midway through the fourth quarter.
Captain Kelsey Griffin's putback restored the Spirit's lead, which was still two points when Geelong's Gemma Potter missed a three for the lead late.
Griffin grabbed a huge rebound before Tolo iced it from the free-throw line.
"A bit of relief but happy with the win," Bendigo coach Kennedy Kereama said.
"We kept a team that scored over 100 points (110 against Adelaide on Saturday) to 55 points and I still think we can improve defensively.
"I'll take a lot from that."
Holmes led the Venom's charge from an early 8-16 deficit to a brief 21-18 lead.
The Spirit, who closed the half on a 10-2 run, ultimately won the second quarter 22-12 to hold sway by 10 points at halftime.
Tolo put Bendigo up 42-30 early in the third term, before misses and turnovers began to mount for the hosts.
Geelong's aggressive, pressing defence held the Spirit to just nine third-quarter points, and the visitors continued to ride that pressure and Holmes' brilliance in the fourth, before Bendigo had the final say.
"The second half was terrific, to hold an experienced team like that to 22 points," Venoms coach Chris Lucas said.
"We just didn't reward ourselves at the back end of the game - 10-of-18 from the foul line is not acceptable at this level and it has cost us the game."
