Playing for pride
A series win may be out of reach, but Queensland’s girls will go down fighting when they face NSW for the final time tomorrow. Any hope of a dream comeback from Queensland’s girls went down the gurgler this afternoon, with the Maroons dropping the pairs and triples in their third and final test against New South Wales in Brisbane.
Test 2
Having fought out a draw in yesterday’s series opener at Toombul Bowls Club, the Maroons were hoping to get on the front foot this morning with a win in Test 2.
Instead, they suffered a 3-1 defeat, going down in the singles, pairs and fours.
“NSW were just too good for us this morning. Our girls played hard, but in the end we were just outplayed,” state coach Bill Cornehls said.
NSW didn’t just win, they clocked up a 44-shot margin, leaving Queensland with a mountain to climb to have any hope of a series win.
Connie-Leigh Rixon, taking over singles duties from April Wilson, went down 21-12, while the fours outfit of Sophie Young, Wilson, Tiff Murray and Taleah Putney suffered a 21-11 defeat.
Wilson and Putney took a hammering in the pairs, 33-7, leaving Young, Rixon and Murray to clock up Queensland’s only win of the day, 16-15 in the triples.
Test 3
Unfortunately things didn’t improve as Test 3 got underway this afternoon.
Queensland needed a big win to have any hope of stealing the series away from NSW, but it was the Blues who hit the ground running in the decider at Toombul, racing ahead in the pairs and triples.
“They got a lead on us, but as the green slowed our girls adjusted better and we started to peg them back,” Cornehls said.
In fact Murray’s girls held game on the last end of their triples clash, trailing 11-13 but holding three.
Unfortunately NSW skip Dawn Hayden had one bowl to play, and she put it to good use, drawing shot to win the match 11-14.
“The pairs girls also fought back well, but it was too late, the margin was already too big,” Cornehls said of Rixon and Putney’s 14-19 loss.
While a series win is now beyond reach, Cornehls insists the girls still have plenty to play for.
“We can’t win it, but we can still come away from this series with two draws from three tests. It’s still a loss, but it’s better than two test defeats.
“This is our home turf, so we can never give up, even if the series is beyond reach. There’s always pride to play for.”
The third and final day of Queensland’s interstate clash with NSW kicks off at Toombul Bowls Club at 9.15am tomorrow.
