Cobham C 31-42 Kingston Reds
Saturday 16th September
Starting line up: Bella Ellis (GS), Milly Marsh (GA), Hannah Gilbert (WA), Charlotte Stafford (C), Kate Waskett (WD), Simone Quick (GD) and Gabs Gross (GK).
Substitutes: Lauren Garnham
Kingston Reds kicked off the 2023 season this Saturday with a brilliant 43-31 win against Cobham C.
With promotion to Kingston Division 4 and new combinations on court, Park came out with a very clear focus on clean play and a positive mindset. Play came together beautifully in the first quarter, quickly calming those first match nerves. A full team defensive effort, with tight man on marking, created some early turnovers which Milly and Bella capitalised on, securing a nice healthy lead. The calm, confident flow down court and full team effort was impressive considering this was Reds’ first game of the season. First quarter: 4-11
Park came into the second quarter with a focus on building a strong goal difference. The team stepped up to the challenge, Simone GD and Gabs GK really finding their groove, working well to keep the Cobham shooters high and applying pressure in the opposition circle, as well as Kate WD securing some lovely interceptions. Charlotte C, did a fantastic job at controlling pace of play, working nicely with Hannah WA and Kate WD to bring the ball down court safely. Milly and Bels showcasing some impressive long-range shots, building the lead for Reds. Second quarter: 11-22
The third saw some changes for Park, with Lauren coming on at WD and Kate moving to C. Cobham C came with some fight, but Parks defensive pressure remained. Lauren worked hard to keep Cobham’s WA out of play and Simone GD masterfully timed her moves to interrupt play. Hannah WA made excellent drives to pocket feeding both Milly and Bella with accuracy. Milly’s movement in the circle created great space for Bella, who was often double marked by Cobham’s defenders. Again, some impressive long bombs from Milly and skilful pops from Bella, meant Park were able to maintain a comfortable lead. Third quarter: 23-33
In the final quarter Park really found their flow. Simone GD and Lauren WD worked well to bring the ball up the court and Charlotte C and Hannah WA really came into their own with effective and clear drives to ball. We saw great vision from both Hannah and Charlotte, feeding the circle with ease, allowing both GA and GS to work their magic. The defensive unit of Gabs, Simone and Lauren continued to apply the pressure until the very end, forcing opposition errors and securing those turnovers. The opposition player of the match was GD Simone and the home player GK Gabs. A great win for the Reds, kicking the 2023 season off with a bang! Final Score 31-43