Queensland pulls through in Game of Two Halves

At first glance, anyone in the crowd would've guessed that the ever-strong Queensland Girls team had an effortless game up their sleeves against North Harbour U16B Girls. So you can imagine the surprise in the crowd from both sides, when North Harbour B went up 2-0 by the end of the first quarter, with goals to Azaria Court from outside and Frankie Myers in centre forward.
This particular matchup saw North Harbour B's ability to optimise the majority of their offensive encounters, something they have been trying to work on throughout the duration of the tournament. But what really led the way was the team's great defensive recoveries. Countless steals from Harbour's Tahlia Rawle, Shannon Hughes, Alice Leonard, and Kaitlin Howarth Dawson enabled great counter attack efforts for their teammates.

North Harbour B's improved offensive setup. 

At the beginning of the second quarter, Queensland fired back quickly, slotting in one goal from their own counter attack. Ahead 2-1, the Harbour girls beamed with confidence and teamwork, setting Myers up again in centre forward with a great sweep shot. The Harbour spectators are now both pleasantly shocked and ecstatic, praising the way the girls are working together on defence to really limit the Queensland attack. Ava Houlding, the North Harbour goalie, really stepped up her efforts during the game and saved many attempts at goal from Queensland. However, it was Queensland's endurance and never-ending will power on second-attempt rebound shots that pulled them through. By halftime, Queensland had minimised the goal difference by 3-2, still in favour of the home side.
In what really was a game of two halves, Queensland came out firing with three superb shots to North Harbour's Megan Kemp's one in the third quarter - and what a perfectly placed cross-cage lob shot it was by Kemp; from the right wing straight into the back of the net in the left corner - too much precision for the Queensland goalie to stop. But by three quarter time, Queensland had taken their first lead of the match 4-5.

Queensland's Coach Bevan Groves and his girls during a 4th quarter time-out. 

The fourth quarter perfectly illustrated what the Queensland game is all about; continued endurance and unbelievable skill level, even when fighting through 4th-quarter-exhaustion. Full time saw the final score 8-4 in Queensland's favour, but this scoreline didn't appropriately represent the excitement and unexpected competition that this matchup was subject to.
The Queensland girls should be appreciative of their comeback with a strong finish to claim what should've been theirs in the first place; but that shouldn't take away the pride that these young North Harbour B girls should feel upon reflection of a great performance.