The NSW Swifts may still play Suncorp Super Netball Finals this season but they will need to beat the Queensland Firebirds next week and hope other results go their way after falling agonisingly short against the West Coast Fever (73-72) at a packed Ken Rosewall Arena today.
Down by 10 late in the third quarter the defending Premiers showed all of their champion spirit to stage an almighty comeback against the Fever, who have now qualified for the 2022 Major Semi Final and a date with the Minor Premier Vixens in Melbourne.
With the last play of the game, the Swifts could have taken an easy option to level the contest and force extra time, but star shooter Helen Housby backed herself from the Super Shot area. The ball rolled around the rim but didn’t drop as the buzzer sounded.
"I would always back Helen, she's a proven champion at all levels and I want brave players," head coach Briony Akle said afterwards.
"To be down like we were not many teams could come back back the way we did, now it's all about the Firebirds next week"
It was a thrilling end to a tie that could’ve slipped away from the defending Premiers, and their large haul of goals may yet prove vital in the race for forth sport next week, but now their fate is out of their own hands.
The first quarter started at a frantic pace with the Premiers finding an easy path to goal hard to come by as Courtney Bruce and Sunday Aryang swarmed in defence.
Despite that, Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley were patient when feeding Housby and Kelly Singleton as the Premiers went toe-to-toe with the West Australians early on.
Only a miss-timed pass from Proud on attack and a missed Housby Super Shot attempt gave the Fever the opportunity to open up a five-goal lead, and when Sasha Glasgow went to two-goal attempts from the off in the first Power Five, Housby responded in kind to keep the Swifts in touch. At quarter time the visitors led 20-17.
The Swifts gained plenty of turnover possession in the second quarter but converting it was proved difficult. Three missed shots from Housby and Singleton were rebounded by the Fever defence and it allowed Fever shooting star Jhanile Folwer to open a seven-goal advantage, forcing Akle into calling her first timeout of the game.
Proud was quick to pounce when the Fever midcourt fumbled a centre pass but the Swifts failed to convert again, while the Fever’s attacking combo of Fowler and Glasgow was humming.
Fever controlled the pace of the game as halftime approached and Glasgow was quick to press home their advantage from Super Shot range as the visitors took a commanding nine-goal lead to halftime.
Allie Smith and Sarah Klau were to the fore when the Swifts recorded back-to-back turnovers at the start of Q3 to come storming back into the game with five-straight goals, however, a contact call against Smith stymied their momentum.
Fowler was a beacon for the Fever in the shooting circle, rebounding and shooting with great accuracy to punish any error the Swifts made. Entering the Power Five of Q3 the Swifts were within eight but another missed shot, this time from replacement Sophie Fawns, gave the visitors what they needed to go 10-up.
However, when Maddy Turner – playing her first home game since becoming a Swift Centurion – came up with two huge defensive plays it provided a platform for NSW to dominate the next Power Five. Three Housby Super Shots off precious turnover ball meant there was only three goals between the sides at the last break (55-52).
Then the most thrilling shootout of the season ensued, with only the width of a netball rim between them at the end.
Unfortunately for the Swifts, they were on the wrong side of it - just!
FULL MATCH STATS
