The West Coast Fever pipped the NSW Swifts in a Suncorp Super Netball Round 2 thriller at Perth's RAC Arena on Saturday night.
The 63-55 scoreline did nothing to reflect the intensity and closeness of the contest between two of the competition's most successful teams of recent years.
With five minutes to go the scores were tied at 54-all before Fever broke the deadlock to take a three-goal lead. That forced the Swifts to attempt Super Shots which from which Sam Wallace went agonisingly close on two occasions, but the rebounds fell Fever's way which allowed them put some gloss on the scoreline in the final two minutes.
The result means the Swifts are 1-1 after two away games to start the season and will now look forward to playing their first home game since 2019 next weekend against the Vixens. The Vixens were also the last team the Swifts played on home soil when they won the Preliminary Final en route to the 2019 Premiership.
It was a scrappy opening to the game as both sides tested each other out, but better composure on turnover possession gave the Swifts an early two-goal lead before Fever stuck back when Wallace was unable to keep a loose pass in play.
The teams were going goal-for-goal heading into the first Power Play of the evening and it was the Swifts who controlled it. A stepping call against Emma Cosh gave the Swifts turnover ball and when Lauren Moore won a scrap for possession off the next centre pass Helen Housby was on hand to land a Super Shot.
The Swifts headed to the first break 17-13 in front but the next centre pass was Fever's.
The hosts were quick to strike back in the second quarter when Jess Anstiss stymied the Swifts' attack and Jhaniele Fowler rewarded the efforts of her midcourters.
West Coast upped the ante on defence, heaping pressure on Wallace who was being swamped by both Courtney Bruce and Sunday Aryang.
Five minutes into the second quarter the Fever were back on level terms but then lost their way. Failure to find Fowler in the attacking circle - thanks to good pressure from Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner - saw replacement Sophie Garbin and Housby put the Swifts back in a five-goal lead.
There were no Super Shots just before halftime but sloppy Swifts passing and an offside call allowed Fever the turnovers they needed to stay in striking distance of the visitors. At the halftime break NSW led 28-26 but there was very little between the teams.
Klau was in the thick of the action at the start of the second half, copping a nasty knock and getting stitched up for her troubles before returning to the court later in the third quarter.
It was a period of the game that ebbed and flowed with neither side really able to take control of the contest. In the Power Five a Sasha Glasgow two-pointer edged the Fever ahead but Wallace was quick to respond to keep the Swifts well in touch.
Akle made some big changes for the last term of what was a hugely intense game. Tayla Fraser came on at centre and Garbin was on at goal attack for Housby.
Early turnover possession gave Fever a two-goal lead, which in the context of the game over the previous 30 minutes was a big lead.
However, the Swifts were quick to respond and with 10 minutes to go the sides were tied.
A missed Fowler shot gave the Swifts a window to take the lead but Bruce was quick to snuff out NSW's chance of converting it.
Both teams had some brilliant intercepts in the final five, Fraser and Anstiss the standouts, but the latter was to the fore twice, coming up with the big play when it mattered most to give the West Australians the edge at the death.
Quarter by quarter scores
SWIFTS | Q1: 17, Q2: 28 (11), Q3: 43 (18), Q4: 55 (12)
FEVER | Q1: 13, Q2: 26 (13), Q3: 44 (15), Q4: 63 (19)
Starting Teams
SWIFTS | GS Sam Wallace, GA Helen Housby, WA Maddy Proud, C Paige Hadley, WD Lauren Moore, GD Maddy Turner, GK Sarah Klau
Reserves used: Sophie Garbin, Natalie Haythornthwaite, Tayla Fraser
FEVER | GS Jhaniele Fowler, GA Alice Teague-Neeld, WA Emma Cosh, C Verity Charles, WD Jess Anstiss, GD Sunday Aryang, GK Courtney Bruce
Reserves used: Stacey Francis, Sasha Glasgow
Match Stats: View full match stats HERE
