The East Freo Sharks have achieved back-to-back wins to start the 2020 Gold Industry Group West Australian Netball League season, defeating the Rangers 53-45 on Friday night.
The Sharks were spearheaded by goal shooter Larrissa Harrison, who was unstoppable despite the best efforts of the Rangers, converting 46/52 across the four quarters.
Speaking after the match, Harrison said the game’s intense pressure had been draining, but it was good to come away with a win.
“Their defence did a great job for the Rangers, it was a really physical game,” she said.
“The physicality of the game had me missing shots towards the end, so full credit to them.”
The intensity of the game was clear from the start, with the pace of the match causing a high number of missed passes and turnovers in the opening moments. Led by centre Ellie Sanzone, the Rangers capitalised on fast passes and poked holes in the Sharks defence, the teams going goal for goal with the Rangers up 16/15 after the first quarter.
Neither side let up during the first half of the second quarter in an arm wrestle of a contest, but the floodgates eventually opened for the Sharks. Harrison used her height and strength to her advantage, muscling her opposition under the ball for easy goals under the net as the Sharks took a 30/25 half time lead.
It proved too large of a lead for the Rangers to pull back, the double team effort of Sunday Aryang and Ashleigh Howat by the Rangers on Harrison in the third quarter doing little to curb her influence.
“The gameplan was to keep them moving, to not play my normal game and move around,” Harrison said.
“It made room for the goal attack to come in, and it worked.”
The Rangers rued a number of missed shots throughout the last half, scoring only 20 goals from 32 attempts. Despite the lift in intensity which saw a high number of turnovers by the Sharks, the Rangers were unable to fully capitalise, leaving the Sharks to hold firm for the win.
The Sharks face the West Coast Warriors next Friday at the Gold Netball Centre at 6.15pm, while the Rangers will face the Southside Demons after at 8.30pm
