Up 11 goals at half-time, the Blues were poised for an easy road to the grand final and a date with Nathalia on Saturday.
“The girls just treasured the ball,” Tongala coach Abby Pettifer said.
“That was our main aim for the day was just to make good choices with the ball.
“If you've got the ball, you're the one in charge. If someone leads too early, just be really vocal and talk to each other.”
But Mulwala had a response after the break.
Having scored 23 in the entire first half, the Lions went at 17 a quarter down the stretch and led twice in the final three minutes, but the sides finished regulation tied at 57.
Pettifer encouraged the Blues to refocus and take over in the overtime period.
“We really got sucked into their game,” she said.
“The two Stephs, their goalers, were the ones who were the playmakers and I just said to the girls sternly that we go back to our style of netball, short and sharp, and that we need to look after the ball and get it into our goalers.
“Chicky Vick was on fire and her fitness really showed as well.
“It was pretty much pull your fingers out and get back to our style of netball and treasure the ball and they did exactly that and ended up running away with it.”
Whether Tongala rediscovered itself during the break or Mulwala was simply spent from its second half heroics, it was the Blues who dominated the overtime period.
The Lions were held to three goals in the first half of extra time, and Tongala had a five-goal cushion, which it only extended in the second stanza, escaping the game 72-65.
The Blues advance to Saturday’s grand final at Moama, where they will battle minor premier Nathalia.
The Purples have dropped a single game this season, which was to now eliminated two-time premier Rumbalara, and will be favoured in the clash after winning by 20 and nine goals in two previous meetings with Tongala.
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