Hawks Netball’s top team has reached the halfway point of the 2018 Victorian Netball League season in perfect position for a tilt at its first finals campaign in five years, after downing Geelong Cougars 64-60 in Round 9.

Both teams entered the game in equal top position on the ladder, along with Melbourne Uni Lightning, with the Hawks chasing their sixth consecutive win and Geelong reaching for their seventh.

In a freewheeling opening quarter it was the Hawks who emerged with their noses in front, leading 17-14.

Geelong lifted their defensive pressure in the second term, clogging the middle of the court and making scoring difficult, with the Hawks adding 14 goals to the Cougars’ 15 to see the lead cut to two at the long break.

The third quarter proved decisive, with Monique Tarrant entering the game at centre and immediately opening things up, while goal shooter Kim Commane’s 15 goals from 16 attempts went a long way to helping her secure her fourth consecutive best-on-court honour, and goal attack Tayla Shannon chipped in with five.

By quarter’s end the Hawks had added 20 goals to their tally to extend their lead to seven goals – 51-44.

Geelong would not be silenced, however, and fought back early in the final quarter to reduce the margin to two. But steady heads prevailed for the Hawks, who pushed the margin back out to four in the dying minutes to wrap up a fantastic result.

The Hawks will enjoy a 10-day break before starting the second half of the season with a home game against the seventh-placed Ariels on Saturday evening, June 23. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.