Melton’s slim finals hopes were kept alive after they returned to the winners’ list in the Ballarat Netball League.
The Bloods had been stuck on two wins since round six as they struggled to match it with stronger sides.
On Saturday, they played their best game of the season, defeating sixth-placed Sebastopol, 48-44.
After an even first term, the Bloods shot away in the middle two, before surviving a last- quarter comeback from the Burras.
Bloods player-coach Renee Hulls said it was the win they really needed.
“To get it against a quality side was important,” she said. “All our netball sides got a win, the first time since we played Melton South, and it’s the first time across the football and netball season we’ve had a clean sweep this year.”
The Bloods went into the match undermanned, with Hulls the only recognised goaler.
Defender Katie Kakoschke started as goal shooter before moving into defence in the second quarter to shore up that end of the court.
Hulls turned to midcourter Jessica Bartlett to be her shooting partner.
“At a local level, she’s played goal attack and played a real feeder role,” Hulls said.
“I don’t like playing shooter so I said to Jess she would need to play that feeder role from goal shooter.
“She did a really great job feeding me the ball.”
Hulls turned on a best-on-court performance, shooting 43 goals from 48 attempts to guide her side to the win.
“I’m not quite sure where I pulled that from,” she said afterwards.
With normal shooter Joanne Crozier to miss again next week, Hulls says they will look to use the same line-up.
While Hulls was the standout on Saturday, she said getting an even four-quarter performance across the board had been key to the win, which sent the Bloods to eighth spot on the ladder, three games behind the Burras at sixth.
Hulls knows they need to win most of their games in the run home.
“If we’d won against Darley earlier in the year, we would definitely have a better chance of finishing top six,” she said.
“We’ve been consistent for halves and three-quarters of games against the top sides but haven’t finished off.
“We play Melton South, Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury and have a bye [worth four points] in the next few weeks.”
In other results, Bacchus Marsh got its second win, defeating Melton South 56-32, while Lake Wendouree defeated Darley.
