SOUTH Australia withstood a strong second half from the Woomeras to record a third straight win at the 2015 AFL Youth Girls National Championships with a 26-point victory at Bendigo Bank Stadium in Mandurah, Western Australia in Day 3 action on Thursday.

South Australia had recorded big wins to start the Championships, beating the Thunder Devils by 70 points and then NSW/ACT by 77 points on Monday and Tuesday respectively, but had to hold off an inspired Woomeras outfit in the second half to win 8.9 (57) to 4.7 (31).

The Woomeras scored just the one goal in the first half but South Australia weren’t quite able to find the form they had shown on the opening two days.

As a result the Woomeras went up a gear in the second half looking for their first win following losses on the first two days to NSW/ACT and the Thunder Devils.

The Woomeras had the first five scoring shots of the second half and closed to within three points before three quarter-time. However South Australia kicked the last three goals to seal their win in their fourth quarter.

Sarah Milham kicked three goals for South Australia with Amy Czernich-Pearce, Courtney Jensen, Ebony Marinoff, Hannah Pavlovich and Ashleigh Jade Woodland all adding singles.

Sarah Allan, Marinoff, Shae Gundlach, Tait Mackrill, Kyesha Christensen and Milham were among the best players for South Australia.

Te'anna Fujii kicked two goals for the Woomeras with Zania Rice and Jessica Stassi adding one apiece.

Stassi, Alyx Glanville, Hayley Smith, Pamai Dau, Tyeisha Tighe and Zania Rice were among the best players for the Woomeras.

Following the two big wins on Monday and Tuesday, South Australia got off to a fast start again on Thursday against the Woomeras with the first two goals inside the first five minutes.

However, the Woomeras steadied to kick the last goal of the first quarter through Stassi.

The Croweaters then kicked the only goal of the second quarter to lead by 13 points at half-time but then the Woomeras lifted and dominated the early parts of the third quarter, but couldn’t quite find the goals.

They finally got a goal following four straight behinds and got to within three points before South Australia regained a 10-point advantage by three quarter-time.

The Woomeras then made a game of it again to start the last term with Rice kicking a goal within 30 seconds to make the margin four points, but then South Australia finished well with the last three goals to remain unbeaten this week.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA         2.2          3.4          5.5          8.9 (57)
WOOMERAS                      1.2          1.3          3.7          4.7 (31)

GOALS 
South Australia: S Milham 3, A Czernich-Pearce, C Jensen, E Marinoff, H Pavlovich, A Woodland.
Woomeras: T Fijii 2, Z Rice, J Stassi.

BEST 
South Australia: S Allan, E Marinoff, S Gundlach, T Mackrill, K Christensen, S Milham.
Woomeras: J Stassi, A Glanville, H Smith, P Dau, T Tighe, Z Rice.