Moana Hope kicked seven goals for St Albans on Sunday. 83497_08 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By KATIE LAMBESKI
A ST ALBANS side with one eye on the finals thoroughly picked apart the form side in the VWFL Premier Division Melbourne University on Sunday afternoon in Parkville, scoring a 19.7 (122) to 7.11 (53) win.
A Melbourne Uni side that had come off wins against competition contenders Diamond Creek and East Burwood in recent weeks was outplayed over the four quarters by a hard-running Spurs unit.
It was a cagey opening from two sides that have found some form on recent weeks. It also proved to be a scrappy and even opening to the game with Melbourne Uni starting brightly, looking to take the reigning champions on right from the beginning with their run.
But the Mugars didn’t capitalise on scoring chances while St Albans did. Similar to the Spurs’ reserves performance, the senior side turned the game their way with a dominant second quarter.
Melbourne Uni didn’t have any answers to a seven-goal run from St Albans in the second quarter, as a willingness to run and create turnovers had the Spurs well and truly in the advantage at half-time.
The Spurs continued to dominate in the second half, although scoring did dry up in the third quarter. The Mugars didn’t go away quietly and finished three goals in the last stanza.
Led all game up forward by veteran Moana Hope (seven goals), midfielder Karen Paxman, Jasmine Garner and Ashleigh Guest, St Albans proved their class over an improving Melbourne University side, setting them in good stead for the remaining month of the regular VWFL Premier Division season.
In the Reserves clash, St Albans reigned supreme, dismantling the Mugars to post a 14.10 (94) to 2.0 (12) win and storm to the top of the ladder.
Played on a wet and muddy oval, both sides took their time to adapt to the conditions, but the tide turned St Albans’ way in the second quarter to take a commanding 30-point lead to the long break.
What followed was a procession. Using their superior run and spread to get over the top of the Mugars, the Spurs recorded an eight-goal second half to run off to an 82-point win that was the key to bringing the Spurs to the top of ladder by percentage. The performance gave coach Kate Jennings the chance to rotate and switch players to different positions.
Led by Kylie Nicolaci (four goals), newcomer Tayla Dinuccio and Christina Polatajko were among the Spurs’ best.
