By Tara Murray
The City West Falcons remain undefeated in the Victorian Netball League, but only just.
The Falcons had their biggest test of the season on Wednesday night against an improved Bendigo Strikers.
There wasn’t much between the sides all night, with a Jane Cook shot with two seconds to go enough to give the Falcons a 60-59 win.
Falcons coach Marg Lind said she didn’t know how they managed to get away with the win.
“We were not at our best, but we managed to get there,” she said. “We rallied when it counted and we had a couple of players step up and get us over the line.
‘I’m surprised we won.”
Lind said they struggled defensively as the Strikers decided to go with a small moving circle, rather than having a holding shooter and a moving shooter.
She said it took a while for them to find the right combinations in defence to make it work.
“By the last quarter we got the equation right,” she said. “ Sussu [Liai] in the last quarter had a great game.
“Teal [Hocking] was quick on the baseline and she matched her for pace. We were really pleased with Charity [Nasalio] at goal defence..
“It was something we hadn’t done before.”
Lind said they had to be strategic with their changes, with Lucia [Fauonuku] battling illness and limited to one quarter.
She said both Fauonuku and Chelsea Imanisani both looked good at wing defence in the second half.
It was the attack end that got the Falcons going, with skipper Maggie Lind rallying the troops to get them going.
Jane Cook finished with 49 goals including the winner, which Lind said was a nervous looking shot.
The Falcons were again without Uneeq Palavi and Mel Oloamanu.
Palavi has been restricted due to Melbourne Mavericks commitments, while Oloamanu is still several weeks away,
The Falcons are one of two undefeated teams after four rounds.
The Falcons under-23 team dropped a second straight match, losing to the Strikers, losing 57-52.
Lind said it was another match where they were so close to getting the win.
“It was a seesawing throughout,” she said. “We were six goals up and we took the foot off the pedal.
“We didn’t have that killer instinct.”
The Falcons are at home in Altona on Wednesday night in the first half of the split round against the Geelong Cougars.
