The open team — consisting of just one Echuca representative Claudia Mawson — fended off competition from eight other leagues to defeat the Ovens and Murray side in the grand final.
‘‘The girls saved their best performance of the day for last,’’ coach Corey Nexhip said.
‘‘For everyone to be able to come together after just two training sessions shows the quality of competition in our league right now.
‘‘Being able to work with the league’s best players is an unbelievable experience.’’
Throughout the day Echuca’s Mawson found herself in several different positions including goal attack, goal shooter and wing attack.
But whatever challenge Nexhip threw at her she took it in her stride.
‘‘Claudia stood up really well for a young player in a high pressure environment,’’ he said.
‘‘She is really keen to learn about the game and refused to take a backwards step against bigger and more experienced opponents.’’
For the Murray Netball League, a berth in the final against the Goulburn Valley wasn’t too far away as they suffered a seven-goal semi-final defeat to the Ovens and Murray team.
Although they did get to face-off against their regional neighbours in the preliminary rounds, with the GV coming out on top by five goals.
‘‘It was an awesome experience,’’ Echuca United representative and Murray captain Lisa Drysdale said.
‘‘The game style we would typically play on a Saturday didn’t come off. Goulburn Valley’s players were so much more agile than what we are used to.
‘‘One mistake could have been the difference between winning and losing on the day.’’
Drysdale was joined by Eagles teammates Amelia Brock and Tanner Edwards in the Murray side.
Meanwhile, the Goulburn Valley’s under 15 and under 17 teams were both eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
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