Box Hill and Port Melbourne have played out a draw at ETU Stadium on Sunday morning, with both teams finishing the game on 33 points a piece.
It was a seesawing contest from the get-go with no team scoring two goals in a row.
The game was balanced statistically as well with the Hawks winning marks (51-41), hit-outs (35-25) and rebound 50s (29-16) while the Borough secured victory in tackles (77-65) and inside 50s (34-23).
It was a slow start from both teams with the first goal of the game coming in the dying minutes of the first quarter.
It was no surprise to see Jess Matin getting on the board, kicking her eighth goal of the season.
At the first break, Box Hill led by five.
Its lead was lost as the Borough put through their first goal of the game in the fifth minute of the second term.
It was then up to Rosie Dillon to respond, securing the Hawks’ second major of the day.
Port Melbourne bounced back again in the 10th minute, giving the home team a three-point lead.
A few behinds followed from Box Hill with the resulting margin sitting at three points at half-time.
In Tamara Luke fashion, the captain had her moment in the first quarter.
Coming from the back of the pack, Luke launched at the footy and make no mistake in front of goal, kicking her 18th for the year and giving the Hawks a three-point lead.
They would take that buffer into three-quarter-time.
Shortly after Port Melbourne took the lead at the start of the fourth quarter, Gabby Collingwood got her name on the scoresheet to put the Hawks back in front by two, keeping the trend of the seesawing contest alive.
The points continued to come from both teams at and the 19th minute, it was a draw.
Matin had the chance to win it for the Hawks after the full-time siren with a kick from outside 50 but once it fell short, a draw was confirmed with both teams finishing the game on 33 points.
Thankfully the Hawks have a chance to respond on their biggest stage of the year next week, with the two teams to do battle again in finals.
Port Melbourne |
0.2 |
2.4 |
3.7 |
4.9 (33) |
Box Hill |
1.1 |
2.3 |
4.3 |
5.3 (33) |
Best: Luke, Spamer, Dillon, McLinden, Cattle, von Bertouch
Goals: Luke 2, Matin, Dillon, Collingwood
Disposals: Spamer 20, Luke 19, Dillon 18, Cattle 15, McLinden 15, von Bertouch 14