Geelong Advertiser |
PORTARLINGTON showed its home crowd how far the team has come since Round 2, turning its early-season loss to Barwon Heads into a 51-36 win.
"The win was fantastic," Portarlington coach Kellie Ricketts said. "It was a 35-goal turnaround from last time we played them.
"This was one we had earmarked to bring home to stay in the four, so we're very happy.
"We've still got the same players. It's just that they're playing better together now that we've worked out our combinations."
The familiarity between Rebecca Reynolds and Candice Bull was again on display, as Reynolds found space to feed Bull the ball quickly and accurately.
The girls, who have been playing together for years, cement Portarlington's attack. Ricketts said they had such an influence that if they were having a good game the side was even more likely to win.
Leah McCombe took some vital intercepts in defence when Portarlington most needed her, and through those turnovers she was able to provide further scoring opportunities.
Barwon Heads coach Fran Forsyth could not put her finger on what went wrong for her young players, who had a comfortable five-goal lead at quarter-time.
"We've probably almost forgotten how to win," Forsyth said. "We had that great start and should have been able to build on it.
"They (Portarlington) have been winning some games, so you could sort of see they didn't panic that they were five down at quarter-time.
"We've been competitive but we're not winning. It just gets tough sometimes for players on the court to really find that self-belief when they need it."
Mid-courter Kate Brasier gave an outstanding performance, which will make her coming six-week absence from the side even harder for Barwon Heads to bare.
But despite this the team is happy to see some opportunities for junior players.
Next week Portarlington face ladder leaders Anglesea, to whom they lost by 20 earlier in the season.
But Ricketts admits a repeat of this week's turnaround will be difficult.
"It's going to be tough and we're up for the challenge but we'll definitely go in the underdogs," she said.
