Posted on 17 July, 2017
The return of Maddie Garrick, another big time performance from Angela Beadle and an incredible team passing display led the Lady Cobras to a 73-57 win over the Frankston Blues at home on Saturday night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2eemb3IL58
The Lady Cobras started off slow before locking down on the defensive end in the second half to take over the game, holding the Blues to just 21 second half points as they turned a tie game at the break into a blowout win. Kilsyth broke the game open with a 18-4 run spanning the third and fourth quarters, putting the game out of reach as they cruised to their 15th victory of the season.
Lady Cobras Head Coach Sam Woosnam was pleased with her team’s bounce-back performance, with Kilsyth responding following back-to-back losses to Launceston and Geelong the weekend prior.
“It was great to get the win after a couple of losses last weekend,” Woosnam said.
“Frankston shot the ball extremely well but once we locked down on the defensive end in the second half, we were able to generate some offence from that.”
With Kilsyth struggling collectively from three point range – outside of Garrick and Rosie Moult, the Lady Cobras shot 0-9 from distance – Woosnam’s team was able to dominate inside with a spectacular passing display. The Lady Cobras assisted on 27 of their 29 made field goals, with Jordyn O’Shea and Chantella Perera leading the way as they combined for 14 assists, many of which set up easy baskets inside.
“We had a number of contributors this week, in particular Jordy O’Shea who led by example with some excellent passing,” Woosnam said.
Playing for the first time since June 17, Garrick didn’t miss a beat on Saturday, scoring 15 points on 6-10 shooting, while Beadle was a force down low once again, recording a game-high 26 points to go along with eight rebounds. Sarah Parsons added 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists as she continues to flourish after a year in retirement, and O’Shea chipped in with nine points, seven assists and three steals in the victory.
After a sizzling scoring display in Round 14, Perera struggled with her shot on Saturday night, but still managed to play a key role as a playmaker on both ends of the floor. Perera finished with eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals, and her swarming defence helped limit Frankston’s leading scorer, Carley Mijovic, to just nine points on 3-12 shooting.
With Garrick returning and playing alongside Moult, the Lady Cobras were close to full-strength for the first time this season. And while Kilsyth showed flashes of brilliance, any hopes of playing with a full roster will be put on hold, as Garrick will miss the next two games with National Team commitments, while Emily Fryters continues to recover from injury and Genna Ogier departs for the United States to play collegiately with the Fresno State Bulldogs.
“We had Maddie for a few minutes which was great but now she will miss the next two games,” Woosnam said.
“It’s always difficult with people coming in and out but we just need to keep winning with what we have. We are planning to be back at full strength for the last regular season game, which is when Maddie and Emily are set to return.”
The Lady Cobras record now sits at 15-4, keeping them atop the SEABL league standings. They’ll look to make it two straight wins as they host Melbourne on Saturday night for our annual Retro Night.
Retro Night will see our SEABL Men and Women rocking throwback 90’s Cobras uniforms as we celebrate the past in what promises to be our most entertaining night of the year. All fans are encouraged to don their best ”Retro’ outfit, with some great prizes up for grabs for those best dressed on the evening. Children 12 and under who dress retro will receive FREE ENTRY for both games, and we’ll also be selling limited edition Retro Cobras tees on the night (while stocks last).
