The NSW Swifts had a successful return to Sydney, defeating the defending champion Melbourne Vixens 55-43 in their first game at Ken Rosewall Arena.
The Swifts hadn't played a home game since winning the 2019 Preliminary Final en route to claiming the Premiership that year, but got off to a blistering start which set a platform up that carried them home.
Sarah Klau was named MVP post match and the Australian Diamonds defender deserved all the plaudits. She was a constant thorn in the Vixens' side, aided well by her partner out front, Maddy Turner.
The Swifts claimed the first quarter by a whopping 18 goals to eight, meaning the Vixens were in catch-up mode for the duration of the contest.
The performance was by no means perfect and the Vixens' second half showing was enough to keep the Swifts honest right up until the closing minutes, but it means Briony Akle's troops have two wins from their opening three Suncorp Super Netball games.
The defence of Klau and Turner was intense from the off as they harried the Vixens attack of Mwai Kumwenda and Ruby Barkmeyer. Lauren Moore was also in good form, sweeping up loose ball and linking well with Paige Hadley and Maddy Proud in the midcourt.
In the attack circle Sam Wallace continued to show why she is so highly regarded in the world game, putting in an imperious shift and making herself available as a prime target time and time again.
The Vixens looked much more controlled in the second quarter, with Kumwenda moving to goal attack and Kadie-Ann Dehaney going to goal keeper.
Melbourne slowed the Swifts' momentum and despite turning over a huge amount of possession they also didn't allow the home side convert, keeping themselves in the fight when the game nearly ran away from them.
At the halftime break the Swifts led 32-19 but a horror third quarter showing allowed the reigning champions a sniff.
Dehaney and Jo Weston started to get the upper hand in defence and suddenly the Swifts' route to goal became stilted. Sophie Garbin, Helen Housby, Hadley and Proud all found it difficult to feed Wallace and when the visitors landed a couple of Super Shots the margin was under 10.
But the Swifts rallied. Wallace, who shot at 100 percent for the afternoon, shot a two-pointer on the three-quarter buzzer which calmed her side as they went to the final break.
The fourth quarter was a scrappy affair as the Vixens looked to make big plays to give themselves a shot of running the Swifts down with Super Shots in the Power Five.
There was no shortage of effort from the Victorians but a key defensive turnover, just before the last five minutes, allowed the Swifts regain a double-digit advantage.
They played smart, streetwise netty to see the game out, and mark their first game at Ken Rosewall Arena with a win, and put one hand on the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup.
Next up for the Swifts is a Round 4 clash with the Sunshine Coast Lightning at Sippy Downs on Sunday.
Quarter by quarter scores
SWIFTS | Q1: 18, Q2: 32 (14), Q3: 44 (12), Q4: 55 (11)
VIXENS | Q1: 8, Q2: 19 (11), Q3: 35 (16), Q4: 43 (8)
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 Haythornthaite
VIXENS | GS Mwai Kumwenda, GA Ruby Barkmeyer, WA Hannah Mundy, C Kate Moloney, WD Kate Eddy, GD Jo Weston, GK Emily Mannix
Reserves used: Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Allie Smith, Kaylia Stanton
Match stats: View HERE
