THE Horsham Saints won their way into a first A Grade Wimmera Netball Association grand final since 2003 on Sunday.
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The young Saints side withstood the pressure of the preliminary final to control the game from start to finish on the way to the 64-56 win against the Horsham Demons.
Saints coach Jess Cannane said it was taking some time for the win to sink in.
“I think our girls really benefited from not having anything to lose,” she said.
“I don’t think many people predicted that result and that allowed us to play with some freedom even once we were in front.”
The underdogs jumped out of the gates in front of a packed Coughlin Park stadium.
Prior to the game Cannane and the Saints knew that the height advantage the team had at either end of the court was going to be crucial to their chances of causing an upset.
“We had to try to expose that and I really think we did,” Cannane said.
“Once we were able to control each end to an extent it was about being able to get out and work the ball up the court.”
The battle between two of the association’s most exciting young shooters was pivotal in the contest.
Maggie Caris seemed to rise to the occasion in the opening quarter while tough defence stifled many of Emma Buwalda’s opportunities to score for the Demons at the opposite end of the court.
Maggie Caris had 16 goals while Buwalda had just three next to her name as the Saints led 19-10 at quarter time.
With the early lead established the question became whether or not the Saints could maintain the ascendancy for three more quarters against a side with vastly more A Grade finals experience.
“We knew Horsham were too good of a team to just go away so we needed to find a way to keep the pressure up,” Cannane said.
“I think the fact we were at home on a familiar court helped, and the noise the crowd was making spurred us on as well.”
The Demons made sure the two teams played on a more level footing in the second quarter but the side could not manage to eat into the lead.
Buwalda shot 14 goals as she started to find her range but the Saints managed to extend their lead to 11 goals at half-time.
The game continued at a frantic high-scoring pace in the second half.
“It was just a very fast and physical game,” Cannane said.
“We knew we wanted to play that way on attack but it was about slowing the Demons up when they were going the other way.
“I think it was always likely to be a bit of a shoot out.”
Horsham managed to win the third quarter by a single goal but needed to find something particularly special to get over the line in the final quarter as the side faced a 10-goal deficit.
There was no such comeback as Saints fans celebrated with their side in front by eight goals at the final whistle.
“In all our finals so far this season we’ve managed to start well and then its been about maintaining our lead,” Cannane said.
“I was confident the girls could do it but I was also certainly very nervous about what Horsham could do if we let our guard down at all.”