CAVALIERS overcame a flying start by the Northern Hawks to eventually run out with a four- goal win in a physical Northern derby at the Silverdome.
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In the first quarter Hawks ran to an early 5-1 lead with tall goalies Chelsea Coleman and Danni Pickett causing problems for the Cavaliers defence while at the other end Hawks' Steffi Grenda initiated plenty of drives from her defensive goal through the mid court for the Hawks to lead 16-12 at the first change.
Cavaliers pulled the lead back to two goals early in the second with Kate Gibson and Lucy Thannhauser getting much more of the ball in the Cavaliers mid court but Hawks pulled away to a five-goal advantage before late goals to Estelle Margetts narrowed the Hawks' half-time lead to 26-24.
With Steffie Grenda rested at half-time Cavaliers' constant mid-court pressure started to tell and the Cavaliers goalies shot at 88 per cent for the quarter to turn the two-goal deficit into a four- goal three-quarter-time lead, 39-35.
At the defensive end Cavaliers' Dannie Carstens and Claire Lovitt kept the pressure on the Hawks goalies who were unable to maintain their earlier accuracy.
The return of Grenda in the last quarter saw the Hawks challenge Cavaliers to draw within two goals but several timely intercepts by Carstens to set up late goals for Cavaliers and saw them run out with a 48-44 victory.
Carstens was named player of the match.
The 19 and under match was a tight tussle for four quarters with both teams on 11 goals at quarter time, 22 at half and Hawks leading by a single goal at the end of the third quarter (34-33).
Cavaliers goalie Jordyn Becker converted 89 per cent over the course of the game.
A late charge by Hawks to steal the game was thwarted by some strong intercepts in the final minutes of the game by Cavaliers defender Grace Van Noord who was named as the player of the match.Cavaliers held on to win 42-40.