Team Bath seek blueprint for sum of the parts
Team Bath seek the blueprint to be sum of the parts
Team Bath’s netball squad would seem to have all the bits to make a model side but have not yet found the glue to fix them together.
Tonight they went down to their third successive Superleague defeat in four starts in 2015 by 34-51 to Hertfordshire Mavericks.
But coach Jess Thirlby still took time out to see the positives. She said: “We need to keep perspective and respect the fact that you can’t build a new team in the first four games of the season. The faster we learn will determine our destiny this season”.
“I still believe that when we meet these teams again we will be better with every performance”.
The visiting Corbin sisters – Sasha at wing attack and Kadeen at goal-attack – produced some stellar athleticism and married that to the steady shooting of goal-shooter Louise Watson to help Mavericks pull ahead early.
At the other end the visitors’ goal-defence and keeper Lindsey Keable and Naida Hutchinson made it hard work for Team Bath’s mid-court to get the ball through to shooter Rosie Allison and goal-attack Rachel Shaw.
Team Bath put up a robust defence through Stacey Francis, Sam Cook and Claire Brownie and in the opening quarter they pulled back from the precipice of 4-10 to reach the break just three goals behind at 11-14.
“I was really pleased with that opening quarter”, said Thirlby. “It showed that we had learnt from Monday’s match and we didn’t blow out”.
With the crowd now behind them coach Jess Thirlby called a time out and the home side returned more settled and focused. They produced some dynamic defensive turnover and shooters Rosie Allison and Rachel Shaw converted more confidently as the quarter progressed.
Mavericks moved to a 16-12 lead early in the second quarter at which point they were penalized once and passed a ball to nowhere in attack, giving Team Bath an opening but the home side could not capitalise.
The pattern of the match was established. Team Bath went on to trail 17-28 at half-time and then 27-39 at three-quarter time – the latter being the closest quarter between the sides.
In the final quarter the home side slowed the visitors scoring rate once more and ground out some great goals courtesy of some flying action around the circle from centre Mia Ritchie and Yas Parsons at wing-attack.
In this phase Asha Francis, the captain, played at goal-shooter in a productive pairing with Shaw at goal-attack.
Sam Cook was named the Team Bath player of the match and received a bouquet from Bath Spa florists on court.
Team Bath’s next home match is on Friday 20 February against Yorkshire Jets.
Carter Jonas are Team Bath Netball’s property partner, Surridge are the Team Bath kit supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.
Team Bath
Starting Seven
GS: ,Rosie Allison GA: Rachel Shaw WA: Mia Ritchie, C: Kyra Jones WD: Claire Brownie, GD: Stacey Francis, GK: Sam Cook
Bench: Asha Francis (Captain), Bessie Manu, Lauren Dent, Yasmin Parsons, Jenna Murie
Changes: Q3: Asha Francis Bench – GA, Shaw GA – WA, Ritchie WA- bench. Q4: Ritchine – Bench – Centre; Jones C-WD; Parsons Bench – WA; Shaw WA-GA.
The Full 2015 Team Bath Netball Superleague squad is:
Rosie Allison, Sam Cook, Bessie Manu, Mia Ritchie, Scarlett Williams, Jenna Murie, Rachel Shaw, Lauren Dent, Claire Brownie, Asha Francis, Kyra Jones, Jazz Scott, Stacey Francis, Shaunagh Craig, Yasmin Parsons.
Coach: Jess Garland, Assistant coach: Denis Ellis
Shooting stats: Rosie Allison 19 from 25 – 76%; Asha Francis 8 from 10 – 80%, Rachel Shaw 7 from 12 – 58%.
Hertfordshire Mavericks
Starting seven
GS: Louisa Watson, GA: Kadeen Corbin, WA: Sasha Corbin (Captain), C: Sophia Candappa; WD: Sam May; GD: Lindsey Keable; GK: Nadia Hutchinson
Bench: Camilla Buchanan, Sarah East, Layla Guscoth, Sophie Hankin, Rose Morgan-Smith.
Changes: Q3: Buchanan Bench – WD; Layla Guscoth Bench – GD, Keable GD-GK, May WD – bench, Candappa C – Bench, Morgan-Smith Bench – C Q4: Hutchinson Bench- GK, Keable GK –Bench.
Shooting stats: Louisa Watson 24 from 27 – 88.8%; Sasha Corbin 27 from 30 – 90%
Quarter scores (Team Bath first):
Q1: 11-14 Q2: 6-14 (17-28) Q3: 10-11 (27-39); Q4: 7- 12 (34-51)
Tickets for the remaining 2015 matches are available now. For a full list of fixtures and for ticket information please go to http://www.teambath.com/sport/netball/fixtures-results/
You can also follow Team Bath on Twitter at twitter.com/teambath or facebook.com/teambath
For further information please contact the Team Bath press office at Matchtight Ltd on 01225 383518 by email at press@matchtight.co.uk
