I've been through several stick models and I also have smallish hands so maybe I can help.
My usual stick is the Vic Firth 7A. On the journey to settle on this model, I used everything from 5As, most of the VF American Jazz series, and several signature models. Even now, I'm not sure the VF 7A is really "the one". It just feels the best out of everything I've tried.
I found out along the way that I prefer a shorter stick. Anything longer than my 7A just feels unwieldy. This may be what you experienced when you tried the 5A.
Anyway, here are several models I tried that may work for you...
VF AJ3 -- Very slightly larger than the 7A. It's 16" long though which changed the rebound a little. I discovered I was much quicker around the kit once I moved to the 7A.
SD4 Combo -- Same diameter as the AJ3 but slightly shorter. It's made of maple so it's really light. This stick was great. I liked the tip shape and sound but it seemed to aggravate my wrist which I injured a few years ago. I believe the maple allowed more shock to travel up to my wrist? Either way, I had to change. The pain went away as soon as I switched. If you don't have a history of wrist issues, this may work for you.
Peter Erskine Signature -- The first one. The one with the tiny ball tip. This was one of the first small sticks that I used. I remember loving the pinpoint precision of this stick. That stick made just about any ride pretty defined. After experimenting with a few other sticks, I found the rebound and speed a little lacking with this stick.
Peter Erskine Big Band Stick -- This is his newest one. I tried this one just because I saw it at the store. It's a larger stick though. The shaft is somewhere between a 5A and 5B. However, it has a longer taper to it that makes the stick rebound effortlessly. It practically plays itself. However, it felt a little cumbersome getting around the kit quickly. It took me a while to discover I like a small stick.
Steve Gadd Signature -- I just tried this one rather recently. It's just slightly bigger and longer than the 7A. It has the tip that I liked from the SD4. I just found that the 7A played slightly easier fro me. I still use this one every once in a while. It's also painted, which can make it slick if you sweat a lot. I just take a little sandpaper to mine and a little swipe of stick wax.
VF 8A -- This is basically a 7A, but it's a half inch longer. I tried this one for a while but found it a little awkward getting around quickly. I also found that in addition to small, I prefer a shorter stick.
VF Jojo Mayer -- One of my old drum teachers gave me a pair of these. I like the length of them. They are about a tip shorter than the 7A but the shaft is between a 5A and 5B. Not bad, but I like something a little smaller. I still have these in my stick bag. I use them for warm-ups sometimes or if I really need to crank up the volume. They are painted too, so I do the same trick as with the Gadd sticks.
Zildjian 7A -- I liked the size and length but found it didn't play nearly as easily as the VF 7A.
The Regal Tip 7As mentioned earlier intrigue me. They are actually shorter than the VF 7As. Regal Tips in general are not available near me so I may just have to order a pair to try out. I think about that every time I snag my stick on the underside of my ride or clip it on the front of my rack tom. "Hmm...I wonder if a shorter stick wouldn't have done that?...
If you read this far, thanks. I just wanted to give you a few models in the 7A "range" that may work for you. Good luck in your quest for the perfect stick. I don't think it's ever over.