By Lance Jenkinson
Werribee Devils fell victim to one of the toughest road trips in the Big V Basketball women’s division 1.
The Devils season came to an end on Saturday night with a 59-48 elimination final loss to the Warrnambool Mermaids at The Arc Sports Stadium.
A three-hour road trip and a partisan home crowd made life difficult for the Devils.
Once the Mermaids got on top in the second and third quarters, the momentum could not be arrested.
Werribee was solid out of the gates, leading by three at quarter-time. But they could not maintain the rage and were out-scored 39-20 over the next two periods and their game and season slipped away.
Import Alyssa Bennett played to her usual standard for Werribee. The American had a double-double 17 points and 12 rebounds to go with three steals and two blocks.
Bennett averaged 17.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in a stellar season that will have her in the MVP conversation.
They needed a variety of offensive threats to beat Warrnambool, but they could not find another one outside of Bennett.
Bennett shot 8-from-18 (44 per cent) the rest of the team shot a combined 12-from-46 (26 per cent).
Georgia Tauschke had a well rounded game for the Devils with nine points and eight rebounds, while Daniella Pisano contributed eight points.
Sam Moodie and Jessica Slade worked hard to reel in nine rebounds apiece, but offered little by way of offence.
The Devils went into the playoffs optimistic after winning their final three games of the regular season.
However, they were always considered the underdogs against a Warrnambool team that only lost six times this season.
