Coach Tracey Baggs relished being able to use her NSW Premier League players at will as West Leagues Balance became the first team to beat Souths this season with a 46-37 win in Newcastle championship netball at National Park on Saturday.
Premier League clubs often put restrictions on the amount of game time their players are allowed in the Newcastle competition but there were none such in place over the weekend with the Sydney league in a holding pattern due to the latest coronavirus outbreak there.
Central Coast Heart's Maddie Taylor was pivotal in a full game at goal shooter but Baggs reserved special praise for rising talents Jemma Lucas and Savannah Angelozzi, who stepped up from opens and played goal circle defence and midcourt respectively.
"We were up all game but it was close," Baggs said. "There was about three or four in it most of the game and it wasn't until that last quarter that we pushed it out to nine.
"I just think we played better as a team. I feel we were more composed and everyone played the role they had to play.
"Being able to use our premier league players as much as we wanted also meant we could make changes as needed and the two young girls that I brought up into the team - Jemma and Savannah - played amazing."
It was an important win for West, who improved to 22 points and third position as the competition heads towards finals.
Souths retained their place as competition leaders on 27 points, but their lead over second-placed University of Newcastle has been reduced from four points to two.
West led at every break. They were up 12-9 at quarter-time, 24-18 at half-time and 33-28 heading into the final quarter.
Souths had been unbeaten in eights game heading into the weekend and coach Tracey van Dal felt her side had not coped well with a six-week break due to state titles, school holidays and a string of wash-outs.
"I know everybody's had that big break, but that really showed for us today," van Dal said post-match on Saturday.
"All of that momentum we had and the great netball we were playing has come completely undone.
"We were trying to force ball into our shooters. We played with no structure. I don't know if it was excitement that they were back on court and were running all over the place but it was just horrible."
However, van Dal said it was not panic stations for the Lions.
"It's hard to go through a competition undefeated and, I guess if you're going to have a loss, it's a good time now to have it rather than the week before semis," she said.
"But it's all positive. Lots of learning out of the game. The players talked at the end of the game and they know what they need to do better and what they need to work on. It's not something that can't be fixed."
Nova Thunder slipped to fourth after losing 55-38 to University of Newcastle.
University led 12-11 at the end of the first quarter then 24-16 at half-time before piling on the goals in a devastating third quarter to be ahead 46-23 at the last break.
University of Newcastle coach Traci Baber injected goal attack Erin Asquith into the game at half-time and she formed a devastating attacking combination with shooter Sabina Gomboso.
Baber also praised the consistent effort of goal defence Angela Williams, who was a last-minute addition after initially being unavailable for the game.
Nova player-coach Katie Robinson said their opponents were "too strong" and Thunder lacked consistency.
"We talked about getting everyone on the same level at the same time," Robinson said.
"There's nothing tactical in particular we need to work on, we just need to want it a little bit more."
University improved to 25 points.
Inner Glow joined Nova on 21 points after beating Junction Stella 49-32. Nova are fourth on goal difference and Inner Glow fifth.
Inner Glow led 10-8 at the first break, 20-12 at the main break then 29-20 heading into the final quarter.
The win kept Inner Glow in the conversation for finals but coach Dwight Graham acknowledged they face a tough test with West then Souths in their next two outings.
Teams are still waiting to see what will happen with games that have been washed out. Round one, 10 and 11 have all been washed out.
"All we can do is just keep playing each game in front of us," Graham said after the game on Saturday.
"I thought Hannah Purcell did well at goal shooter for us. It was a tough day for shooters but she rebounded so strongly today that 90 per cent of ones that didn't go in she rebounded and shot again.
"Our defenders did well, particularly Sara Gilbert. She played goal keeper in the first half and in that second quarter she was really dominant. Page O'Kane at wing defence had a blinder. She took a lot of intercepts and shut down the wing attack all game."
Kotara South (17) beat BNC Whanau (9) 41-38.
Round 12 results:
University beat Nova Thunder 55-38. Q1: University led 12-11; Q2: University led 24-16; Q3: University led 46-23.
West Leagues Balance beat Souths 46-37. Q1: West led 12-9; Q2: West led 24-18; Q3: West led 33-28.
Inner Glow beat a Junction Stella 10-8. Q1: Inner Glow led 10-8; Q2: Inner Glow led 20-12; Q3: Inner Glow led 29-20.
Kotara South best BNC Whanau 41-38. Q1: Kotara South led 14-9; Q2: Kotara South led 22-18; Q3: Kotara South led 32-29.
Points: Souths 27, University 25, West 22, Nova 21, Inner Glow 21, Kotara South 17, Junction 13, BNC 9.
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