It was as tight a game as you can get for Junee Firebirds on Saturday, but the team persevered to earn themselves a one goal win.
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The under 12 side handed New Kids Orbits a narrow 29-28 loss in an impressive round of netball.
Firebirds coach Cristy Vergano said it's been a good year for the team, who currently sit second on the Wagga Netball Association division two ladder.
With no substitutes available to them this weekend, she was proud of how they held on to get the win without a break.
"We only had seven take the court, no subs, so they did really really well, they gelled really well," Vergano said.
"We did have an 11-goal lead at one stage and then we just let them back in unfortunately, but they pulled it off in the end."
Strong in the competition, the side has several players who have jumped up an age group to fill in for the side.
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Vergano said despite their young ages they've slot well into the team and hold their own int he competition.
"They're that little bit younger, but they're doing really really well," she said.
The side has improved immensely this season, after struggling to win many games in 2022.
"We're second on the ladder and winning every second or third week, they've improved heaps, they've grown so much this year," Vergano said.
"It's amazing just seeing them grow, this is my first year coaching them but just seeing them pick up the stuff we've been working on at training and putting it into the games is mind blowing.
"It makes you feel good because you know that they're getting it, and they're working out they need to do this to win a game."
Vergano said the group has been a fun one to coach, with the girls enjoying a bit of a chat while also ready to focus when the time is right.
Coming off the court each week happy to have played, she said they seemed to enjoy the season as well.
"They're very supportive of one another," she said.
"They're all from different schools, and even though they don't hang out together every day, they all really seem to get along on the netball court."
With finals just a few weeks away, the group realised close to the season half-way mark they could be playing at the end of the year.
Vergano said the playing group came to her and said their goal was to get beyond the round games.
"Midway through the season they said to me, we haven't won this many games ever, so it's really nice they're so excited for this," she said.
"It's a good experience for them to make it and see what it is like.
"I know a couple of them keep a record of the ladder each week and they keep saying we need to score more goals, we need to get our percentage up so we can stay in this spot, so they're quite competitive and are really enjoying the competitive side of it."
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