ADELAIDE, Australia — Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls endured a punishing 72-41 defeat against world number one Australia in the opening Test of their three-match series in Adelaide on Wednesday, but head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry sees reasons for optimism as the team prepares to rebound in Perth.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Henry stressed that growth and learning remain the focus, with the next two Tests offering opportunities to refine strategy, sharpen execution, and build resilience.
Early struggles, moments of promise
The match began competitively, with Jamaica trailing 16-10 at the first-quarter whistle. By half-time, the deficit had widened to 34-22, and a disastrous third quarter saw the Sunshine Girls outscored 20-8, effectively putting the contest beyond reach. The final quarter ended 18-11 in favor of the hosts, cementing Australia’s commanding 31-goal victory.
“We are very hopeful going into game two because for us it is about building and so we definitely want to make a big impact on our performance in our next game based on our efforts in game one,” Henry said.
“We know that there are some areas that we really want to fix and we are hoping that we will get it right for game two.”
Game two is set for Sunday in Perth, followed by the series finale next Wednesday in Melbourne.
Scoring leaders and missing stars
Jamaica’s offense was led by Shanice Beckford, who converted 17 of 18 attempts, followed by Simone Gordon (12/15) and Giselle Allison (12/18). Australia’s attack, however, proved overwhelming, with Cara Coenen scoring 25/27, Kiera Austin 21/23, and Sophie Garbin 17/18.
The Sunshine Girls were once again without key players, including captain and star goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, as well as top defender Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, which contributed to defensive lapses and turnovers.
Signs of improvement
Henry highlighted that, despite the scoreline, the team had improved compared to their December series against England, which Jamaica lost 2-0.
“I think that we have definitely improved in certain areas of our game against Australia compared to our last series in December against England,” she said.
“However, we didn’t start out well against the Australians and we made some poor errors, not Australia intercepting but our team giving away the ball easily.”
The coach noted that flashes of sharp, precise play indicate areas to build on.
“We set some targets but we didn’t achieve some of them in terms of the scoreline but we did see some nice, sharp passages of play,” Henry said.
“But again consistency to limit the turnovers played a big part for us.”
Focus areas ahead of Perth
Henry stressed ball control, tactical decision-making, and patient attacking as priorities moving forward.
“We definitely know that we have to work on our sharpness and our control, especially with our passes and not trying to force the ball very long, but working hard to get the ball in the circle before shooting,” she said.
She also praised the contribution of younger squad members stepping into more prominent roles.
“I must give credit to some of our younger players, like Roxonna McLean playing in the defending circle with Latanya Wilson for the first time, it was just super impressive,” Henry said.
“She is one of the young under-21s who are just coming into the squad for the first time.”
Looking ahead
While the Adelaide defeat was heavy, the Sunshine Girls are determined to use the lessons learned to fuel stronger performances in Perth and Melbourne. With adjustments in defense, ball control, and attacking coordination, Henry believes the series is far from over and that the squad can still make its mark.
“For us, it is about building. We want to make a big impact in game two,” Henry reiterated, setting the tone for a determined return Down Under.
