Player of the Match – Georgia R – chosen by Trent for her super work in defence throughout the game & Clare Taylor, who worked hard to bring the ball up the court and who shot impressively in this game.
U11 Squad: Clare T (GA), Emily H (GS), Georgia R (GD), Imo C (GK), Beth M (WD); Georgina T (C), Poppy S (WA).
We had been scheduled to play Trent College’s 4ths, or under 12B team originally. Despite being a year older than the under 11A girls, I thought it would be a very good experience for them and good test before the IAPS tournament. However, a mystery virus has struck our senior girls, meaning their 2nds and 3rds were lacking players. I had loaned them some of our trusty under 11B team players, so it made sense for us to play Trent’s 3rds (U12A) and for our senior 3rds (half of whom were under 11B's), to play the 4ths.
The girls were understandably apprehensive and began the game nervously. Having been allowed a good warm up by the Trent team, we had taken the opportunity to run through our set centres and strategies; giving me the opportunity to suss out the Trent team at the same time. I could tell it would be a fairly even game, with our girls having better skill, co-ordination and pace, but Trent having a real height advantage. Trent having won the toss opted for the first centre and took a while to score the first goal, with our girls allowing them to intimidate them initially. We were quick to peg a goal back from the second centre though and this gave our girls a real confidence boost; their body language was totally transformed and they realized they could definitely hold their own. The strong wind gave both sets of shooters some problems and Emily H found it difficult to move freely in the D with a very physical opponent hanging off her all the time. The score after the first quarter saw us level pegging with Trent, 3 – 3 apiece.
In the second quarter Emily’s opponent rectified her game after being blown on a number of occasions for contacting her. Our defence Georgia R and Imo C played their socks off, both faced opponents much taller than themselves, but jumped high to tip the ball and make interceptions. Unfortunately such super play was then thrown away by weak passing, enabling the taller Trent girls to snatch back the ball. After the 2nd quarter we were trailing by one goal. The third quarter was frustrating, as Trent stepped up the physical play and many offences were simply not blown. To our girls credit they continued to battle away and kept their form, but we were trailing by two goals at the end of it. The girls began the 4th quarter determined and really took the game to Trent, snatching back the two goals lead and giving the Trent girls a real shock. The result was for the opposition to become even more physical with numerous episodes of contact and obstruction, many of which were not blown. The girls did lose their form to the end of this quarter, possibly as result of the physical play, and our passing was not always as effective as it could have been, enabling Trent to take the lead.
The under 11s were a little subdued at the end of the game and disappointed by the end result, but should remember that they faced a team of older, taller girls and be proud with the simple fact that they really held their own. Pace and skills wise they definitely had the edge, now we just need them all to grow a little! Good luck for the tournament on Saturday girls, remember all you have been taught, keep your heads and pass that ball with strength and power! Thanks to our trusty supporters for once again braving the bitterly cold conditions!
DLB
Posted on
Wed, January 26, 2011
by MAC