Surrey take Mavericks by Storm in season opener with 47-62 win
It was a confident display from Storm, who after a tight first half which finished 22-28 to Storm, pulled away in the third quarter with a attacking masterclass to win the game by 15.
A full match report is coming soon...
Q1: Mavericks 10-13 Storm
Q2: Mavericks 22-28 Storm
Q3: Mavericks 36-50 Storm
Q4: Mavericks 47-62 Storm
Shooting Stats
Rachel Dunn 81%
Pamela Cookey 84%
Match Reaction
Proud player-coach Tamsin Greenway was understandably pleased with her team post-match, but warned that Storm still had room to improve.
She said, "At half-time we were 6 up, and I said to the team that we've got a choice. We can get in a goal for goal game, or we can really put our foot down. I'm pleased how we responded in that third quarter. We got that gap there and Mavericks were always fighting to get back in the game from then.
"We weren't a unit at all at the Fast Net Finals. Tonight we came out and started to look like a defensive unit and a attacking unit. I'll still be interested to look at some of our errors - our shooting stats, the ball coming out the back line etc, but what I'm pleased with is to get a score like that and still not be near perfect.
"To win the game tonight and still have lots to improve on is great. There were some moments of class today, but there was also some pretty dire stuff. Next week we've finally got two training sessions where we'll all be in and we can work on everything. Hopefully we'll really start to feel like a team next weekend.
"But of course to come to Mavericks and win by 15 is no mean feat. Yes they've got a lot of youngsters, yes they're a fairly new side, but they've still got some experienced heads out there, and they've got a quality coach. It's not easy to come here and get a win, and we did that today so we've got to be happy!"
Congratulations to new Storm captain Becky Trippick who was awarded the Player of the Match. Post-match Trippick was pleased with Storm's performance in the first game of the season. She said, "We're really pleased. There were some nerves out there in our first game, but after the second half we put it together and it came off really well.
"Whenever you come to Mavericks you know it's going to be a really tough game, but this year we've put a lot of ground work in, we've got a new exciting squad, some older members aswell, and we just wanted to start as we mean to go on and put the message out there.
It's a marathon not a sprint, and we're just taking each game as it comes. I'm not bothered about the favourite status, we'll see who's in that final in May."
Tonight's victory puts Storm at the top of the table after the first game, and the team now look ahead to next Saturday's first home match versus Loughborough Lightning.
