THE ACT has claimed the Division 2 title of the AFL Women’s Championships with a decisive victory over South Australia.
With both teams battling a strong cross-breeze South Australia was quick to attack while ACT was content to bottle the ball up in defence.
Karina Demant was everywhere early on and proved pivotal in driving the ball forward to Hannah Wallet, who missed a golden opportunity for the ACT when she sprayed a set shot in front of goal.
The teams wrestled it out with neither able to get clean possession in what can only be described as a scrappy opening term.
Pressure was good from both teams but it was Caitlin Williams with broke the deadlock with 50-seconds left on the clock to score the first goal of the match and give SA a slender 4-point lead at quarter time.
ACT came out strongly in the second term but could not break through for a major.
Williams was prolific for a more confident looking SA and it was Leah Tynan who gave them their second goal halfway through the quarter.
ACT was working hard and looked desperate to take advantage of the breeze, however a stoic Michelle Reid would have none of it, and with the Help of Melissa Wilson kept driving the ball out of the oppositions forward line.
But luck was on the side of Kristen Woods whose long bomb from the centre bounced through to give ACT their first goal 17-minutes in.
Another Territory minor on the siren saw them lock up the scores at 12-points apiece going into the major break.
The opening of the third term saw Demant quick to drive the ball into the ACT forward line and after a couple of aborted attempts Hannah Wallet marked and goaled to give ACT the lead for the first time.
ACT drove forward again where a busy Bek Hall was rewarded for her hard work with a free kick that she easily slotted through to take the margin to 15-points.
South Australia needed to lift and Williams and Danielle Cresp were providing plenty of hustle for them in the forward line but the ACT defense was giving no joy.
The ball was run from end-to-end with neither team able to post another major before the three-quarter-time siren blew.
ACT headed into the home stretch 11-points up and was straight back into attack.
The breeze was playing havoc with two set shot attempts blown off line before a case of third time lucky gave Hannah Dunn a goal for the Territory.
A driving kick from Demant saw Kathryn Ghirardello take a strong mark in the goal square to see the ACT lead blow out to 24-points.
It was all one-way traffic from there and soon after Jorden Irvine ran onto a loose ball and goaled for the ACT to seal the South Australian fate.
There was time for one more goal and it was left to Bek Hall who slotted one through to see ACT claim the Division 2 title 7.12 (54) to 2.5 (17).
Last Modified on 01/08/2013 16:57