Round 9 Women’s Premier League Wrap

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THE Melville Marlins have moved further clear on top of the Women’s Premier League after beating the UWA City Beach Bears on Saturday with the North Coast Phoenix also victorious at Bicton Pool.

Round 9 of the Women’s Premier League took place as a double-header at Bicton Pool on Saturday ahead of the National Water Polo League contests between Fremantle and the UWA Torpedoes.

The day started with a top of the table battle between Melville and UWA City Beach, and it was the Marlins who prevailed 13-4 in their home pool.

That would set the tone for the later NWPL clash where the Fremantle Marlins went on to beat the UWA Torpedoes women 16-4. The men’s NWPL contest saw the Torpedoes beat the Mariners 7-5.

The second Women’s Premier League contest on Saturday saw the Phil Johnson Plumbing & Gas North Coast Phoenix defeat Lawley’s Bakery Dolphins 17-7.

Following the Round 9 results, the Melville Marlins sit clear on top of the Women’s Premier League with a perfect 7-0 record.

The UWA City Beach Bears remain in second position with a 5-2 record ahead of the North Coast Phoenix (3-4), Triton (3-4) and Lawley’s Bakery Dolphins (0-8).

Starting with the battle of the top two teams, the Marlins continue to be the trendsetters in the 2016-17 season even after substituting out their NWPL players ahead of their clash later late night with the Torpedoes. The Bears, meanwhile, didn’t enter their national league players into the pool.

Melville did score first to start the game with a goal after just over two minutes and the Marlins went on to score the only four goals of the opening half.

The Bears did find the inside of the goals to start the second half courtesy of Amy Wylde. But the Marlins hit the next two goals before another for UWA City Beach to Pippa Pedley.

The Marlins continued to be in control and went on to lead 9-2 by three quarter-time and to win 13-4.

Between Bronte Barber and Glencora McGhie they scored five goals for the Marlins with Katie Finucane/Lauren Martin two, Sarah Leavy/Ebony Neesham two and Lara Zimmerman/Erin Redbond two.

Pedley, Wylde, Georgia Storey and Tayla Barbas scored a goal each for the Bears.

Zimmerman received the three votes for Melville, Sam Shead from UWA City Beach the two and Alyssa Thom from the Marlins the one.

It was then on to the clash with North Coast and Dolphins, with the Phoenix scoring first through Zoe Stenhouse. Dolphins were able to level the scores shortly after courtesy of Sharan Colliss.

That would be as good as it got for Dolphins with North Coast piling on four more first quarter goals from Jess Reynolds, Stenhouse, Claire Pierce and Georgie Powers.

Dolphins were able to score first in the second quarter again courtesy of Colliss, but once the Phoenix had all the answers and would hit the following five goals with Casey Rushforth, Stenhouse, Amy Johnson and Reynolds (two) all finding the inside of the goals.

North Coast led 10-2 before Taylor Christie scored for Dolphins but the Phoenix had the last laugh before half-time with another goal to Reynolds to see them lead 11-3 at the break.

It took less than two minutes for North Coast to score another to start the second half with a goal to Zoe Rowcroft. Dolphins kept fighting, though, and did respond through Alyssa Woodward, Christie and Ciara Flynn over the next three minutes.

Dolphins had done well to cut the Phoenix lead to 13-7 by three quarter-time, but North Coast scored the only four goals of the final period through Stenhouse, Rushforth, Reynolds and then Stenhouse again to run out 17-7 winners.

Stenhouse ended up scoring seven goals for the Phoenix and Reynolds five, while Colliss hit three for Dolphins and Christie two.

Stenhouse was awarded the three votes after the game and Reynolds two while Dolphins’ No. 5 Colliss received the one.

Round 10 of the Women’s Premier League will see Triton take on the Melville Marlins, and the North Coast Phoenix play the UWA City Beach Bears. Both take place at Beatty Park starting at 3pm.

ROUND 9 WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Melville Marlins 13 beat UWA City Beach Bears 4 at Bicton Pool
Phil Johnson Plumbing & Gas North Coast Phoenix 17 beat Lawley’s Bakery Dolphins 7 at Bicton Pool

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