The NSW Swifts have survived a huge final-quarter fightback by West Coast Fever to claim a 66-65 win in Round 9 of Suncorp Super Netball at Melbourne's John Cain Arena today.
The victory, which gives the Swifts a 6-3 win-loss ratio for the season so far, was built on huge performances in the second and third quarters and temporarily moves Briony Akle's team into the top two on the competition ladder.
A flurry of Super Shots from Fever replacement Alice Tegue-Neeld late in the final quarter put the Fever in a position to win the game but in truth it was the Swifts who looked more composed all afternoon.
With both teams currently in isolation since entering Victoria earlier this week there were no fans in the arena but that didn't stop two of the competition's heavyweights playing out a thriller.
Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud was playing her 100th elite club game since debuting for the Adelaide Thunderbirds as a 17-year-old in 2011 and the midcourter proved she's still one of the best in the game.
The first quarter was an intense affair with little to separate the sides until the Power Five period. The Swifts had the better of the opening 10 minutes with Lauren Moore and Maddy Turner making big plays in defence to give NSW an early two-goal lead.
However, despite no Super Shots being scored in the last five minutes of the quarter, a missed two-goal attempt by Sam Wallace gave Fever the chance to take control. This was followed up by a defensive tip from Fever GK Courtney Bruce which awarded the West Australians bonus possession and they took a five-goal lead to the break.
The Swifts' defensive intensity lifted in the second quarter with Sarah Klau and Paige Hadley in the thick of the action but converting their gains proved difficult initially. The Fever hustled brilliantly when they conceded the ball and the Swifts' route to goal was difficult.
Briony Akle mixed her side up by inserting Sophie Garbin and Tayla Fraser into the game and it paid off. The gains kept coming and the Swifts started to make Fever pay.
Entering the second Power Five period the Swifts led by three and Fever coach Stacey Marinkovich was forced to call her second timeout of the quarter.
Sasha Glasgow was quick keep the pressure on NSW when she landed the first Super Shot of the game, but Helen Housby responded in kind and Garbin was also providing the Swifts feeders with a great moving target in the goal circle.
By halftime the Swifts had turned a quarter-time deficit of five into a three-goal lead (35-32).
The six-time Premiers kept the foot on the gas in the third quarter with Housby and Garbin working brilliantly together in the Power Five period.
The opening exchanges of the period were typically tight and tense with the teams trading goals. The defensive pressure of the Fever yielded some additional possession but this time it was the Swifts who were hustling well when they lost ball.
Housby landed a pair of Super Shots just before the final break which meant her side took out the period 20-14 and led the game 55-46 overall.
If the Swifts thought their dominance would continue in the final period the Fever had other ideas. Good midcourt pressure gave the West Australians precious turnover ball and the specialist two-point shooting combination of Glasgow and Teague-Neeld stepped up in the Power Five.
The pair shot four Super Shots to reduce the gap to one goal, but the Swifts were streetwise. Match MVP Garbin took single scores to ensure the Fever would need to secure at least one more turnover.
At the death the Swifts played the clock down by keeping the ball and starving their opponents of the chance to steal the points before the final whistle.
Quarter by Quarter Scores
SWIFTS | Q1: 14, Q2: 35 (21), Q3: 55 (20), Q4: 66 (11)
FEVER | Q1: 19, Q2: 32 (13), Q3: 46 (14), Q4: 65 (19)
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
FEVER | GS Jhaniele Fowler, GA Sasha Glasgow, WA Verity Charles, C Jess Anstiss, WD Stacey Francis-Bayman, GD Sunday Aryang, GK Courtney Bruce
Reserves used: Alice Teague-Neeld, Emma Cosh
Match Stats: View HERE
MVP: Sophie Garbin (Swifts)
