A powerful second-half effort from the reigning champion West Coast Fever consigned the NSW Swifts to their second defeat of 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney today.
In an Easter Monday battle between the Premiers of the past two years, the West Australians demonstrated why they are currently the team to beat, using a third-quarter domination to force the Swifts into chase mode.
Diamonds defender Courtney Bruce had nine possession gains to her name and it was on the back of this that the Fever made hay.
The Swifts were well in the contest at halftime, but a 16-24 third-quarter loss proved to be a killer blow with the Fever building up enough of a buffer to run out 67-78 winners at the end of the Round 4 clash.
They now sit top of the Super Netball ladder with four wins to their name, while the Swifts sit sixth with one win, two losses and a draw their return after four rounds.
Next up for the Swifts is a trip to face the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Queensland on Sunday.
A Sarah Klau intercept and Fever confusion off a centre-pass allowed the Swifts race out to a five-goal lead in the first five minutes of play but it didn’t take long for the Fever to hit their straps thereafter.
A Courtney Bruce tip and a Sunday Aryang steal put Jhaniele Fowler in firing range to get the Fever back on level terms, and when the Swifts’ attack began to look clustered it was the home side calling a timeout against the run of play.
It seemed to settle Briony Akle’s troops, however. The sides were level at the start of the first Super Shot period when the pace of the game ratcheted up a level.
Two Helen Housby Super Shots gave the Swifts the edge (18-15) heading to first break with NSW managing not to concede scores off possession gains won by their opponents.
The sides went toe-to-toe for the majority of the second period before back-to-back Swifts errors gave Fever a window to get in front for the first time.
A leaping Bruce intercepted a pass bound for Romelda Aiken-George and when the Jamaican shooter was unable to control a rushed pass off the next centre-pass, the Fever had the gains they needed to hit the front.
After Sasha Glasgow hit a two-goaler for the visitors it seemed like they had all of the momentum but the Swifts weren’t in the mood to lie down.
Having missed her previous attempt, Housby showed courage to nail another Super Shot on the halftime buzzer to lock the game up at 35-all.
Two more defensive tips by Bruce put the Fever in control of the game early in the third quarter. The Diamonds defender was enjoying a titanic battle with Aiken-George and when she got her tips, the Fever were quicker to pounce on the loose possession.
Down four goals, Akle called her second timeout and introduced Sophie Fawns (goal attack) and Teigan O’Shannassy (goal keeper) into the game, but it was at this point that the Fever turned the screw.
Glasgow provided the perfect foil for Fowler, landing Super Shots to get the Premiers out of a pickle when the Swifts started to gain momentum, while Aryang worked in tandem with Bruce to clean up the bonus possession that provided the Fever with an insurmountable lead.
In the fourth quarter it was a game of catch-up for NSW, but the risk-reward netball they had to play by that stage would prove to be their Achilles heel.
The Swifts, often so composed under pressure, were forced to play frantic netball, and despite a flurry of Super Shots the Fever were able to keep them at arms’ length and ruing the how the third quarter got away from them.
Quarter Scores:
Q1: Swifts 18 Fever 15
Q2: Swifts 35 Fever 35 (15-18)
Q3: Swifts 51 Fever 59 (16-24)
Q4: Swifts 67 Fever 78 (16-19)
Swifts Starting 7: GS Romelda Aiken-George, GA Helen Housby, WA Maddy Proud, C Paige Hadley, WD Allie Smith, GD Maddy Turner, GK Sarah Klau
Reserves: Teigan O'Shannassy, Tayla Fraser, Sophie Fawns (all used)
Match Stats: View HERE
