WITH a key defensive pillar missing, Echuca United’s A grade netball side needed someone to stand up — enter Hayley Holmes.
After receiving a last-minute call up following the conclusion of her B grade match, Holmes inspired the Eagles to a scrappy 18-goal victory against Nathalia in the Murray Netball League.
As her teammates struggled to find their groove following the bye, Holmes was thrown into the contest at goal defence.
And immediately she made her presence felt despite stepping outside of her usual goalkeeper position.
‘‘Hayley well and truly deserved the best on court award,’’ coach Lisa Drysdale said.
‘‘She certainly didn’t look out of place. I think being able to train as A and B grade squads certainly helps with the step up, but the girls still need to have the confidence to make an impact.
‘‘It’s really pleasing to see Hayley step up in Erin Delahunty’s absence.’’
But Drysdale was most impressed by the aggressiveness Holmes brought to the court, a change in style from her usual output in B grade.
‘‘Hayley was really aggressive in the way she defended,’’ she said.
‘‘In B grade, she is usually a really fluent player who glides across the court to create interceptions.
‘‘I think being able to play on an opponent who was also tall and athletic made for an exciting contest.’’
While the Eagles were able to come away with the four points, Drysdale was left frustrated with a poor start from her side.
‘‘We can’t afford to allow these teams who are fighting for a finals position a sniff,’’ she said.
‘‘While it is great to see us overcome the adversity, we will eventually be punished for it.
‘‘Our inconsistencies at both ends of the court need to be addressed and we will work on those at training.’’
And with games against lower opposition to come in the final four games, Drysdale knows her side still has plenty of work to do.
‘‘We’re going to use every game as a chance to get better,’’ she said.
‘‘Our group is really open and honest with each other and we know our performance was well below par on Saturday.
‘‘We need to be playing at our best if we want to be beating the likes of Moama and Rumbalara at the business end of the season.’’