The ladder-leading Melbourne Vixens proved too strong for the NSW Swifts in Sunday’s Suncorp Super Netball Round 11 clash at John Cain Arena.
Despite doing the double over the Vixens last season, the Swifts were unable to prevent the Victorians returning the favour in 2024, leaving the seven-time Premiers’ Finals hopes hanging by a thread.
After losing the first game between the sides in Round 5 by two goals, the Swifts looked like they were going to make it another thrilling contest early on, but the Vixens were too much to handle in the second half.
It leaves NSW two wins outside the top four with three rounds to play making next Sunday’s Heritage Round game against the Queensland Firebirds a must-win.
As a result, the Vixens have reclaimed the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup from the Swifts for the first time since 2022.
There was good news for NSW in the form of the Club’s newest debutant Uneeq Palavi. The Tongan international hit the court in the second quarter and looked at home under the bright lights of Super Netball.
While the Swifts forced plenty of errors from the Vixens, it was a failure to convert bonus possession that proved their downfall. They landed only three goals from unforced turnovers, while the Vixens scored 14.
It was a snapshot of what’s proved to be the team’s Achillies heel in the season to this point. Despite still being well in the hunt during the third Power Five of the afternoon, they couldn’t build on momentum which brought them back within six goals three minutes from the final break.
Instead, the Vixens attacking pair of former Swifts champion Sophie Garbin and Keira Austin racked up five goals to put the home side 11 ahead at three-quarter time.
Faced with a mountain to climb the Swifts didn’t stop trying but the more they pushed, the more opportunity the Vixens had to intercept and deflect.
While the Vixens’ commanding lead was built gradually in the first three quarters, they were certainly made to work for it by the Swifts. The hosts claimed each of them by margins of three, four and four respectively and it wasn’t until the final quarter that the Swifts’ resistance faded.
NSW went for broke but the risks provided little in the way of rewards. In total the Swifts had 16 unforced turnovers compared to the Vixens’ seven and it left them chasing the game too early in the fourth quarter.
The Swifts face the Firebirds at Ken Rosewall Arena next Sunday at 2pm AEST.
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