The NSW Swifts have won their third game on the bounce, beating local the Giants 67-64 at a raucous Ken Rosewall Arena on Saturday night.
The Suncorp Super Netball Round 7 headline act was the first time Netball NSW’s two teams clashed this season and it was pulsating from start to finish.
For 60 frantic minutes they knocked lumps out of each other, but at the death it was the Swifts who scrambled fastest to break the deadlock when the teams were level with two minutes to play.
Tayla Fraser and Maddy Proud pounced after the Giants spilled possession when they needed to score and from there the Swifts showed their champion composure to see the Derby out.
The wins cements the Swifts’ place in the competition top three at the halfway point of the regular season, but they’ll know the Giants will be lying in the long grass when the sides clash again in Round 12.
Double Swifts Premiership champion turned Giant Lauren Moore came up with two strong defensive tips against her old side early as the hosts started the better of the teams, and despite NSW’s defensive unit coming up with possession gains of their own the seven-time Premiers weren’t able to convert.
Swifts head coach Briony Akle called her first timeout after six minutes and from the next phase Maddy Turner came up with an intercept to get her side back on level terms, however, a Sophie Dwyer Super Shot double had the Giants ahead by three at quarter-time.
Double confusion between Dwyer and Jo Harten gave the Swifts the opportunity to get their noses in front midway through the second quarter, and when Paige Hadley and Turner came up with back-to-back pickups NSW led by five heading into the second Power Five.
Realising the tide was turning, the Giants then upped the ante and forced the Swifts to lose composure, a problem that was compounded for them by three two-pointers from Harten and Dwyer.
However, NSW shooter Romelda Aiken-George showed she was capable from range too with a fine Super Shot on the buzzer to put the Swifts up by one at halftime.
Both teams conceded plenty of turnover possession in the early stages of the second half but neither could make the best of their gains with the scores tied midway through the third period.
Akle was interchanging defensive midcourters Fraser and Allie Smith throughout the game which kept the Giants attack guessing, while she also injected Sophie Fawns to give the impressive Aiken-George a breather.
Tied at 43-all entering the third Power Five, Dwyer landed four shots from range which looked like it would swing momentum in her side’s favour but Helen Housby was quick to respond in kind.
The England Roses superstar scored four Super Shots of her own to keep the Swifts well in the contest, just one goal down at the final break (52-51).
Back-to-back turnovers on attack at the start of the last quarter gave the Giants the momentum they needed to take hold of the contest – their lead may only have been four goals but in the context of the game it was a big gap.
Yet that lead was soon whittled down when Sarah Klau came up with a fine rebound after Harten went for a Super Shot to put some daylight between the teams.
With two minutes to play the scores were locked at 64-all and it was a case of who blinked first. Thankfully for NSW it was their opponents.
The Swifts are back at Ken Rosewall Arena next Sunday for a Round 8 clash with the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Quarter Scores:
Q1: Swifts 13 Giants 16
Q2: Swifts 33 Giants 32 (20-16)
Q3: Swifts 51 Giants 52 (18-20)
Q4: Swifts 67 Giants 64 (16-12)
Swifts Starting 7: GS Romelda Aiken-George, GA Helen Housby, WA Paige Hadley, C Maddy Proud, WD Tayla Fraser, GD Maddy Turner, GK Sarah Klau
Reserves: Teigan O'Shannassy, Sophie Fawns, Allie Smith
Match Stats: View HERE
