Saints seize top spot as Wattle Park shake the ladder

In a season that continues to provide plenty of twists and turns, Division 3 Women’s has a new ladder leader as the competition goes into a two week Bye break, St Mary’s taking top spot with a 9.42% advantage over Ormond.

Albert Park defeated Mazenod by 15 points at Central Reserve. There was a lot of implications on this game, with Albert Park needing to continue their momentum to keep their spot in the top five, whilst for Mazenod, keeping in touching distance with Old Camberwell to secure third spot.

The first quarter was a defensive grind, with both teams unable to hit the scoreboard into the first change. Albert Park came out firing at the start of the second term with one goal late their way, leading by eight points at half-time.

Albert Park hit back early in the third quarter, banking an early goal, extending the lead to 17 at three-quarter time. Both teams’ defensive lines worked endlessly with no goals kicked, Albert Park securing a 15-point victory. Ashlea Wilson and Emilia Larkin impressed with one goal each for the Falcons.

Ormond defeated North Brunswick by 31 points to keep themselves withing touching distance for a top two finish.

Both teams grinded it out in the first quarter, with scores level at the first break. Both teams were able to get onto the scoreboard in the second quarter, kicking one goal each, with North Brunswick taking a one-point lead at half time.

Ormond lifted in the second half, kicking one goal in the third quarter, then four goals in the last quarter to seal the victory.

Charlotte Fisher was impressive, finishing the game with two goals. Isabella Di Leece, Michaela Di Leece, Courtney Gaze-Persson, Indiana Harrison and Paige Southwick all contributed with one major each.

In one of the upsets of the season, Wattle Park defeated Old Camberwell by 10 points at Bennettswood Reserve.

Old Camberwell was inaccurate in front of goal in the opening term, kicking four behinds, before the Cats hit back in the second quarter, kicking one goal in the second quarter to take a two-point lead at the main break.

Both teams kicked one goal each in the third quarter, before a goal by Freeman was enough to secure the win to cause the upset, with Wattle Park winning the last quarter.

Sinead Freeman, Emily Severin and Olivia Walker were impressive for the home side, kicking one goal each.

St Mary’s Salesian dominated from start to finish with a 78-point victory over Elsternwick.

St Mary’s flew out of the blocks in the first quarter, banking three majors. St Mary’s continued their momentum in the second quarter with another three majors.

Much was the same in the third quarter for St Mary’s kicked a combined five goals in the second half to bank an important 78-point victory and keeping touching distance with top spot.

Emily Wedrient and Lucy Dobbyn had a day out in front of goal, both finishing with four goals each. Georgia Cropley finished with two, whilst Amy Kerr finished with one.

The final game of Round 12 saw South Melbourne Districts defeat Prahran by 48 points, securing their third win of the season.

Not much separated the two sides: both sides having plenty of the footy but unable to capitalise on opportunities into goals. South Melbourne led by 3-points at quarter-time and increased the lead in the second quarter to be up by 10 points at the main break.

South Melbourne kicked two majors in the third quarter to extend the margin to 24 points at three-quarter time, before kicking another three goals in the last quarter to seal the victory.

South Melbourne finished the day with multiple goal scorers, with Hannah Singleton, Erin Leavey, Allanah Ryan and Michaela George all getting on the scoreboard.

After two weeks off, Division 3 action resumes of July 26 with all of the top five teams playing against each other, whilst the bottom sides will face off. This shapes as a pivotal round for teams that want to lock in a certainty of playing finals.

Mazenod (4^th) host North Brunswick (6^th) at Central Reserve, while Elsternwick (10^th) host South Melbourne Districts (8^th) Wattle Park (7^th) travel to face Prahran (9^th), Old Camberwell (3^rd) welcomes Albert Park (5^th) to Gordon Barnard Reserve and in the game of the round, Ormond (2^nd) face St Mary’s Salesian (1^st) in a top of the table clash at E.E Gunn Reserve.