Storm builds on finals bid

GIPPSLAND Storm State League Netball Club’s divisionone squad bowed out after its first finals campaign in its sevenyear history last week at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.
In the first semifinal on Wednesday evening Geelong defeated Storm by 15 goals, but the Gippsland side was gratified at reaching the finals for the first time.
Geelong in the first quarter used fast transitional play down the court to feed their goalers under the ring.
When given the opportunity Geelong implemented zone and fullcourt presses. Storm midcourt players Lee Kitchin, Christie Proctor and Jenni Jamieson struggled to get the ball through the middle third and found it hard to feed the goalers close to the ring because of the intensity of the Geelong defenders. Geelong jumped to an eightgoal lead by the end of the first quarter and was never headed for the rest of the match, winning 69 to 54.
Storm coach Simon O’Shanessy after the game thanked his players for their effort during the season, which included a sixgame winning streak. The primary aim for the year had been to make the division one finals.
The Storm looks forward to next year building on that success.
O’Shanessy encouraged the squad to maintain fitness levels for the Storm tryouts coming up on 9 and 16 October at Pakenham Stadium.
The squad also farewelled popular vicecaptain and defender Kate Rohde, who will travel to England for the next 10 months as an exchange student.