FALCONS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

GEELONG Falcons girls coach Jason Armistead says he will not rush to set expectations on what his side can achieve after its comfortable win over Sandringham.

One of the strongest sides in the inaugural TAC Cup Girls competition last year, the Falcons hit the ground running in their season-opener at Deakin University on Saturday.

Four goals to one in the opening term proved the difference in the 7.3 (45) to 4.1 (25) victory, with Sachi Degiacomi (three goals) and Lucy McEvoy (two) impacting the scoreboard.

Armistead said the win would kickstart his side’s season.

“It was a bit of a relief as well I think, it’s just that unknown, you don’t know how you’re going to go or what that opposition is going to be like,” Armistead said.

“They (Sandringham) were pretty good, so I was pretty pleased with our girls.

“(The first quarter) was obviously our best quarter of footy overall. It just gave us that buffer pretty much right through the game.”

Armistead said he was most impressed with his side’s ability to turn the tide when momentum was going against them.

“I thought in the second and third quarters Sandy probably outplayed us for the majority of the quarters, but our girls just hung in there and we got a few late goals in both of those quarters that just kept us out to that 20 points.

“It was pleasing how the girls fought through those quarters.

“Instead of waiting until halftime to work things out, the girls sort of took it upon themselves during the quarter to change it a little bit.

“They made it into a bit more of a scrap when it wasn’t going our way and we just got it into our forward line a couple of times last in the quarter.”

Inside midfielder Tarryn Love was named the Falcons’ best in a spread of strong performers.

“It was pretty even, the top seven and eight were pretty even, but Tarryn was probably the best four-quarter performer, I think,” Armistead said.

“She managed to match it with them physically and give our runners a chance with the footy as well, so she was really important all day.”

The Falcons meet Greater Western Victoria Rebels away on Sunday.

FLYING START: Jerusha Devarakonda on the burst for the Geelong Falcons. INSET: Kaitlyn Haustorfer (Geelong) and Maddison Wilson (Sandringham) fight for possession. Pictures: YURI KOUZMIN

GEELONG 4.2 5.2 6.3 7.3 (45) SANDRINGHAM 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.1 (25) GOALS: Geelong: DeGiacomi 3, McEvoy 2, Vella, Skinner. Sandringham: Bate 2, Stutt 2. BEST: Geelong: Love, Taylor, DeGiacomi, Morrison, Inei, Chapman. Sandringham: Hartwig, Burke, Laing,...