Local sport news from the weekend you may have missed
Netball
Sharpshooter Kath Knott has capped a superb season by being named City West Falcons’ most valuable player. Knott was recently honoured with the Margaret Caldow Award as the VNL championship division’s best-and-fairest and the hot-shot award for most goals (630) and was named in the team of the year. The Falcons also presented MVP awards to Steph O’Nial (division 1) and Milly Brock (under-19).
Women’s soccer
Yarraville Glory will get the chance to playoff for promotion after securing second spot in the Football Federation Victoria women’s state league 3 west on Saturday. The Glory created an unassailable gap over the third-placed side with a 1-0 win over Maidstone United at McIvor Reserve on Sunday. In women’s state league 4, Altona Magic lost its top-of-the-table clash with St Albans Saints 4-1. The Magic players will be out to cement second spot when they visit Sunbury United on Sunday.
Women’s football
Manor Lakes has fallen one hurdle short of the VWFL west division grand final. The Storm was totally outplayed by Melton Centrals in a 25-point preliminary final loss at Northcote Park on Sunday. They could only manage one goal through Christie Stone, one of Storm’s best finals players. View more pictures from this match here.
Picture Shawn Smits.
VFL
Footscray has a tentative hold on a top-four spot in the VFL despite a heartbreaking four-point loss to Essendon under lights at QE Oval in Bendigo on Friday night. The Bulldogs held a 14-point lead at three-quarter-time but conceded four of the last five goals. The Dogs can only maintain their double chance with a win over in-form Werribee Tigers in a tough away game at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday morning.
Lacrosse
Newport is the first team through to the Lacrosse Victoria women’s state league grand final after a tight 10-9 win over Footscray at Treyvaud Memorial Reserve on Sunday. The Porters held a one-goal lead at half-time and refused to give an inch as the sides went goal-for-goal in the second half. Marlee Paton had the radar on song for the Porters with five goals; Hayley Sofarnos scored twice and provided four assists. Williamstown was pipped 10-9 by Caulfield in the other semi-final. Footscray and Caulfield will meet in the preliminary final at Lower Eltham Park on Sunday.
Hockey
Werribee’s men’s and women’s teams are both part of the Hockey Victoria finals. The men are in red-hot form, qualifying for the Vic League 2 finals in third spot after five wins on the trot, including a 3-1 victory over MHSOB at home on Saturday. The women also hit their straps in August, winning their past four games, including a 4-0 whitewash of MHSOB, to finish in fourth. The finals start this weekend.
Soccer
Hoppers Crossing has officially been crowned champion of the FFV men’s state league 3 north-west. The Reds hold an unassailable seven-point lead with two games to go, after Williamstown went down 1-0 to Whittlesea United in a catch-up game at Gray Reserve on Saturday. The time for Reds’ supporters to celebrate will come when Williamstown visits Grange Reserve for the penultimate round on Saturday.
