We did it: Monash University Central poses with the VNL division 1 trophy.
Worth it: Monash University Central's Jessica D'Antonio celebrates her side's VNL division 1 premiership. Pictures: Shawn Smits
MONASH University Central wrote its own fairytale by winning the Victorian Netball League division 1 premiership in the final minute on Saturday night.
After going into the match as favourites, Central struggled to get into the game and trailed throughout until star goal attack Steph Tyrell made a shot with 30 seconds on the clock to give her side a 40-39 win over a shattered Boroondara Genesis.
Click on the image below for our huge gallery of the Division 1 grand final.
The Genesis had a long shot at goal on the siren but it missed.
Central coach Jacqui Hansen said the game turned with 3? minutes to go when her defence forced a turnover.
"To say it was a fairytale finish was an understatement," she said.
"That turnover galvanised the team and we made up a five-goal deficit in the final three minutes. When Steph got the ball she never looked like missing."
Hansen said her players' determination and hard work shone through in the final minutes after a nervous performance in the opening three quarters had Central fall 10 goals behind.
"We literally just stuck with them. The girls never gave in and we knew if we could put some good passages of play together and break some of their centre passes we would be OK."
Besides Tyrell, who was named in the division 1 all-star team, Hansen also praised the determination of centre-court player Jessica D'Antonio, who played the final seven weeks of the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Hansen said D'Antonio showed enormous determination by strapping her knee up each week and risking further damage to play in the premiership.
"Jess did a lot of work in preseason, running up hills to make her legs stronger and the surgeon said to her if she strapped up her knee, her leg strength would let her stay on the court.
"She is one of the toughest people I have ever known.
"She is so mentally tough she refused to miss and played out the season with one good knee.
"The surgeon said she could do more damage if she kept playing; she said she didn't care."
The division 1 competition acts as a feeder league for the VNL championship competition and Hansen said several of her premiership players were ready to step into the top league in 2013.
"We were very lucky to have a player of the calibre of Steph Tyrell play with us all season and it would have been easy for her to step up to championship.
"Some of our other girls could go up as well. Some might start in division 1 next year but I would expect a few of them to give the championship team a shake, mainly because these girls work so hard."