Sport
15 May, 2025
Swifts netballers push through illness to challenge Kalkee
The Swifts A-grade netballers lost by 16 goals to Kalkee in a spirited performance at Kalkee Recreation Reserve in round five of the Horsham District Football Netball League on Saturday, May 10.
Despite most of the team battling illness and losing Edwina Flakemore to injury in the opening minutes of the match, the Baggies came out firing in the first quarter to lead by one goal at quarter-time. The Kees, however, got their game moving, scoring 19 goals to eight to take a 10-goal lead into half-time.
The Baggies fought hard in the third quarter and won it by one goal to reduce the margin to nine at three-quarter-time. The Kees then ran out the game, winning by 16 goals, 51-35.
Michaela Carey scored 19 goals with Rebbekkah Seeary scoring 13. Sarah Morris chipped in with three. Erin Freeland was outstanding in defense.
This was the Baggies second consecutive loss after winning the first three games of the season, and the losses were against reigning premiers Laharum, and another top team, Kalkee.
Baggies co-coach Amy Kenny said she is proud of the girls for their performance in a game she described as ‘physical’ and will chalk it up as a learning experience.
“The team has had a fantastic start to the year and Kristy (Dodds) and myself are proud of them,” Kenny said.
“We don’t expect a linear journey and always have something to keep us challenged, but they are growing every week, and we feel we have done a good job over the last two weeks.
“Unfortunately, on Saturday, it wasn’t our week with a lot of players unwell, and we just ran out of legs.
“It was a physical game, and the second quarter was the one that cost us, and we couldn’t reign it back in, but credit to the girls, they fought it out and we couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Kenny praised Erin Freeland for her job on Lotus Martin after Flakemore went down with an injury.
“Erin played a ripper of a game on Lotus and was a standout for us,” Kenny said.
“She has been playing a different game over the last few weeks in the midcourt to give us fresh legs, and she went back in defense and does what she does best down there and was a key factor in not allowing Kalkee to run away with the game.
On Saturday, they face Harrow Balmoral who are fresh off their first win of the season against Pimpinio last week. Kenny knows it won’t be easy.
“We will work on replenishment this week and go back to the drawing board and focus forward again to this match,” Kenny said.
“We never rule anyone out and we know that Harrow Balmoral is going to be a tough opponent.”