DEFENDING Orange Netball Association division one netball champions Life Studios Westoil are confident they can turn their ailing season around and make the semi-finals after losing their last three games.

After dominating the ONA competition in recent seasons, having won six out of the last seven premierships, the side now find themselves on the verge of missing the semis after successive losses to the in-form Canobolas A, High A and Robin Hood outfits.

The shock turnaround in performance has been largely attributed to the loss of three of the team’s best players - Mardi Aplin, Jacqui Lyden and Sheryll Selwood - who all recently gave birth.

While Aplin and Selwood may return this week for the squad, Lyden will be out for the rest of the season after undergoing a caesarean section while giving birth.

Westoil coach and star shooter Mardi Aplin is optimistic the team can turn it around but she knows it will be tough over the final three rounds.

“We need to win the last three to make it into the semis,” she said.

“It’d be very disappointing if we didn’t make it. Hopefully we can get into the semi-finals and then the grand final.”

Westoil will face-off against Robin Hood Fitness Perfection and Newstead NYX over the next two rounds in games the powerhouse outfit should win comfortably.

The defending champs will need to win those games in order to build momentum for their end-of-season clash against Sheahan 1, who have been one of the major improvers in 2008.

If Westoil scrape into the finals, their big-match experience could give them an edge over the competition, although Aplin is unsure if that alone will be enough to clinch her side another title.

“The teams are very strong this year. Robin Hood is very experienced,” she said.