By Tara Murray
Keilor Park is remaining positive it can bounce back in Essendon District Football League Women’s division 1 finals.
The Devils will have to make the grand final the hard way, after losing to Essendon Doutta Stars in their semi final on Saturday at Windy Hill.
It was an even game for three and half quarters, before the Stars kicked the last four goals of the game to get the 7.5 (47)-3.1 (19) win.
Devils coach Brent Cooper said it wasn’t all doom and gloom despite the 28-point loss.
“There was two points in it, half way through the last quarter,” he said.
“As happens in finals, one team gets on top and the other team can crack and the flood gates open.
“Once they had that first goal, with needed two goals to win. They got another one and then it was a bit of show time.”
“I’m not stressed about what happened in the last seven minutes. We know that we stuck with them for pretty much the whole game.”
Cooper said the message to the group was that they weren’t too far off.
He said Doutta’s running ability late in the game was the difference. The Stars have several under-18s players in their team.
“We were just as hard at the contest,” he said.
“Once they got that goal in the last quarter, it broke our back and they got a few late ones.”
Caitlyn Simon, Holly Bauerle, Meghan Patrick and Caitlin Holzheimer were the Devils best.
It was all single goal kickers.
Cooper said they were confident that they could bounce back this week against Maribyrnong Park in the preliminary final.
He said they would be better for the experience of playing against the Stars.
“It’s not panic stations and we’re really positive,” he said.
“We’re respectful of Mariby and hopefully we can beat them. If we can get a win, we get to be in a grand final which I think we deserve.”
Maribyrnong Park won through to the preliminary final with the one point win against Moonee Valley.
No goals were kicked in the second half, with the Lions winning 2.2 (14)-2.1 (13).
MORE EDFL NEWS
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/diasappointing-end-for-sunbury-kangaroos/
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/keilor-regroups-after-a-miserable-defeat/
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/hillside-finds-finals-form/
