The NSW Swifts have been dealt a blow in their bid to claim the Suncorp Super Netball Minor Premiership, falling to 75-68 to the Collingwood Magpies at Brisbane's Nissan Arena today.
The result is the first time the Swifts have lost back-to-back games this year and means their wait for Finals qualification will go on for another week at least.
NSW started the day second on the ladder, just behind Giants on goal percentage and ahead of the Sunshine Coast Lightning by the same margin, but will need to see how the rest of Round 12 unfolds to discover their position at the end of it.
Next up is a clash with the Adelaide Thunderbirds at the same venue on Wednesday 4 August which will be a must-win if the six-time Premiers are to keep their hopes of a top-two finish on track.
With head coach Briony Akle unable to attend the game due to her COVID-19 isolation period in Adelaide not ending until tomorrow, assistant coach Bec Bulley was in the hot seat.
While there some positives for the Swifts, most notably the impressive showing of Sophie Garbin in attack, it was the team's slow start and failure to convert a host of possession gains which ultimately cost them.
Collingwood meanwhile have kept their slim Finals hopes alive with their best performance of the season, however, they will need to win all of remaining games, and hope other results go their way, if they are to be a chance of playing end-of-season netball.
The Magpies came racing out of the blocks in the first quarter with the height of Jodi-Ann Ward thwarting the Swifts as they looked to feed the attacking circle.
Midway through the opening period the Pies led 9-5 and Bulley called her first timeout of the game.
Sarah Klau was impressive in defence for the Swifts but every time she won possession her teammates found it difficult to get the ball up the court and convert. Their cohesion in attack was poor with Geva Mentor rising to take a plethora of interceptions as the Magpies started to build a big lead early.
Shimona Nelson scored all 16 first-quarter attempts to reward the efforts of her defence and midcourt, and only a couple of Super Shots from Helen Housby, and another from Sam Wallace, kept the Swifts in it as Collingwood took a 19-13 lead to quarter time.
Garbin was injected into the game in the second quarter and her combination with Housby looked more balanced and gave the Collingwood defence more to think about.
The Swifts secured the first two turnovers of the period and converted to reduce the gap to three goals before it was Collingwood's turn to call a timeout.
It had the desired effect as the Magpies emerged with renewed energy. While the Swifts looked better in attack with Garbin holding her own against Mentor, Klau wasn't getting any change out of her battle with Nelson who was being brilliantly fed possession by Kelsey Browne.
As the quarter progressed Collingwood started to wrestle control of the game back when at one stage the Swifts threatened to draw level. The Victorians' hustle and intensity was better than that of their opponents and heading to halftime they led by seven goals, 37-30.
The sides traded scores early in the third quarter but a held ball penalty against Housby, compounded by an error on the Swifts' next centre pass, meant the Magpies soon had a firm grip on on the contest with a 10-goal lead.
Nelson's connection with Browne and Gabi Sinclair continued to make life difficult for the Swifts, while Molly Jovic and former Swift Ash Brazill harried and rushed Paige Hadley and Maddy Proud in the Swifts midcourt.
Unlike in the first two quarters, the Swifts couldn't secure any possession gains in the third period but Collingwood did and, crucially, they converted theirs.
At the final break the Melbourne side led by 11 and their slim Finals hopes looked on track to stay alive for another week at least.
The Swifts were better in the last quarter, which they won 21-17, but they never really made a dent on the Collingwood lead until the dying stages of the Power Five by which stage the Magpies were home.
Quarter by quarter scores
SWIFTS | Q1: 13, Q2: 30 (17), Q3: 47 (17), Q4: 68 (21)
MAGPIES | Q1: 19, Q2: 37 (18), Q3: 58 (21), Q4: 75 (17)
Starting teams
SWIFTS | GS Sam Wallace, GA Helen Housby, WA Paige Hadley, C Maddy Proud, WD Lauren Moore, GD Maddy Turner, GK Sarah Klau
Reserves used: Sophie Garbin, Tayla Fraser
MAGPIES | GS Shimona Nelson, GA Gabi Sinclair, WA Kelsey Browne, C Molly Jovic, WD Ash Brazill, GD Jodi-Ann Ward, GK Geva Mentor
Reserves used: No reserves used
Match stats: View HERE
