AFTER matching it with the Warrack Eagles in the first half of the Wimmera Netball Association A grade season opener on Saturday, the Ararat Rats dropped off the pace to go down by 22 goals.
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The Rats held a two goal buffer after the first quarter, before going goal-for-goal during the second term to remain in front at halftime, however the visitors fell away and saw the Eagles out score them 32 to nine in the second half.
"It was all good up until halftime, we were happy with how everything was going," Ararat joint-coach Olivia West said.
"We had made the most of our scoring opportunities when the ball went into attack, but that all went out the window in the third quarter.
"We still got the ball down that end, but it was just that our shots didn't seem to drop and I am not really sure why that was.
"They also brought on a different goalie at halftime and she was probably a better shooter than the first one and that made a difference to their scoring too."
The fourth quarter was a better one for the Rats in terms of matching it through the midcourt with the Eagles, however by then the damage on the scoreboard was already done and the visitors couldn't recover.
West said with a number of new players joining the A grade line-up in recent seasons, it may take sometime to gel.
"It was a little bit different having a few new ones in the team and it was always going to take time to adjust to that," she said.
"It doesn't happen as naturally as a group that has played together for years, you have to think more about it and everyone has to get used to playing with different players who have different styles.
"It wasn't all negative, there were still plenty of positives. We had Lauri (Williamson) move into goals in the last quarter, which is something new. I think she was a bit nervous, but she did well in coming forward to the ball, posting up and things like that."
West was named in the Rats' best players, along with first gamer Harmony Newman.
West said Newman and joint-coach Rebecca Skrabl combined strongly in defence.
"Skrabs and I were really pleased with the efforts of Harmony," she said.
"She doesn't give up and that is something we really like about her, she just keeps on going and doesn't drop her head. She did put a lot of pressure on her opponent."
The Rats will resume hostilities with Stawell tomorrow as both sides search for their first victory of the season.
"It is hard to tell with a lot of the teams being different this year, but we will certainly be looking to bounce back this week," West said.
"We have a rivalry with Stawell, so it is a match we don't want to lose. At training this week we will be working on improving in the areas where we went wrong on Saturday."
Ararat's B grade team shook off a determined Warrack Eagles line-up to claim a strong 13 goal win.
New coach Petrina Williamson said the first game of the season is all about the unknown.
"New players and new teams are exciting and refreshing," she said.