Posted on 21 June, 2009
League MVP candidate Amy Denson (25pts, 10 rbds, 3 ass) again showed her class against Australian Opal Elyse Penaluna (22pts, 10rbds). Denson lead her team to their 9th win of the season.
Kilsyth travelled to Dandenong with just 8 players, missing Gemma and Tania Kerr, and after losing Brooke Nisi to an injury in the 3rd term played the final quarter with just 7 players.
With their season on the line the Rangers managed to stay with the Lady Cobras for the majority of the match, the lead change multiply times in the first quarter but Kilsyth went into the first break with a three point margin.
Sarah Parsons (11pts, 16rbds, 7ass) proved the difficult assignment for the Rangers as despite not hitting a field goal for the entire match still managed to go close to recording another triple double.
Kilsyth slipped away in the 2nd quarter with Penaluna forced to the bench in foul trouble Denson took over helping the Lady Cobras build a 10 point lead. But when Coach Jason Knight gave his star import a rest with 3 minutes to go, Dandenong pounced with Penaluna scoring 8 points in the final minutes to cut the margin back to one going into the main break.
Both teams battled hard in the 3rd term with Kilsyth able to hold on to a slight lead. Hayley Moffatt (18pts, 6rbds) continued to convert in transition as the Lady Cobras took a 56-54 lead into the final term.
Dandenong struggled to contain the high scoring Lady Cobras in the final term after Penaluna fouled out early in the quarter. Despite playing a zone for the majority of the game the Lady Cobras still managed to score 79 points with Clare Papavs (15pts) exploiting the soft defence.
The Lady Cobras (9-5) have all but locked away a place in the 2009 finals series giving them an opportunity to defend their title but their next challenge is set to define their season. Kilsyth last lost was against Nunawading by a single point on the buzzer. The Lady Cobras will host the Spectres this coming Saturday night looking for some redemption.
The rival between the Lady Cobras and Spectres has escalated over the past two years after last years Grand Final. Their is a mutual respect between both teams and neither will won’t to drop this latest encounter.
Tip off is scheduled for 6.15pm with all Junior Domestic players wearing their club uniform receiving free entry. Get along to the Snakepit to help celebrate Junior Domestic night and support the Lady Cobras in their attempt to win their 8th straight game.
Keep up to date with all the news at www.cobras.net.au