The NSW Swifts put in a fighting effort in their Suncorp Super Netball Round 10 clash with the West Coast Fever in Perth, going down 78-71.
At the end of a difficult week, Briony Akle’s troops showed plenty of resolve and contested well for three-quarters and finished with a flourish.
Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud became the 13th Centurion in Swifts history at RAC Arena but her side's late rally wasn't enough to rein-in the Fever in front of a crowed of over 11,000.
Jamaican international Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard shot 74 of Fever’s goals for a 99% strike rate and it was her accuracy that proved the difference.
The second quarter Swifts was one the Swifts would love to play again. Unlucky not to be ahead at the first break, NSW lost their composure in the 15 minutes before halftime and it gave the Fever the opportunity to claim it 24-12 and lead by 10 going to the sheds.
The mountain wasn’t insurmountable at the stage but with Fowler-Nembhard holding brilliantly in the Fever attack the West Australians were content to let her keep the scoreboard ticking along.
Meanwhile the Swifts were forced into chase mode early. With the team adjusting to playing a moving circle, the Fever defensive pairing of Fran Williams and Sunday Aryang did a good job of hustling Helen Housby and Sophie Fawns into errors.
In total the Fever had 42 gains to the Swifts’ 12. They were also more clinical with the bonus possession at their disposal, converting at 95%. The Swifts converted their gains well too (at 75%) but their hosts were in no mood to give them anything.
That said, despite taking time to adjust to their new attacking methods, the Swifts had plenty to show they are still well in the race for fourth place on the ladder.
They may be without a win since Round 6 but the seven-time Premiers still sit only one victory outside the top-four with four rounds of the regular season to play.
Fawns and Housby were on target from range in the second half and having lost the first by 10, the Swifts claimed the second by three.
MATCH STATS
