The NSW Swifts pushed the regining Premiers to the limit but it was the Melbourne Vixens who edged a thrilling Suncorp Super Netball Round 5 clash at Ken Rosewall Arena (59-66).
Tied at final break the Vixens took advantage of consecutive penalty calls against the Swifts to see out the contest in front of a raucous crowd in Sydney Olympic Park.
Playing in their Yellow Heritage Dress as part of their annual Alumni Match - and missing Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau and Helen Housby - it was a third consecutive loss for the Swifts but it was a much improved effort after last week's heavy defeat to the West Coast Fever.
Grace Whyte's star continued to rise with a brilliant showing while returing Swift and Silver Ferns legend Katrina Rore showed she's still at the top of her game.
However, it means the Swifts drop to 1-4 after five rounds and a win against the Queensland Firebirds is needed to get NSW back in contention for the playoffs.
The Vixens found an early break as they raced out to a three-goal advantage within the opening four minutes, moving the ball at will. However the depleted Swifts, just as quickly found themselves level at 6-6.
It was down to the likes of Teigan O’Shannassy and Sharni Lambden in defence, each earning an intercept, while Maddy Proud was everywhere through the midcourt, as was Whyte in goal attack, recording eight and seven feeds each, respectively, for the quarter.
As both sides settled it was goal for goal for much of the term, and despite what felt like all the momentum for the Swifts, the Vixens were kept in it by the brilliance of former Swift Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin, both of whom shot at 100 per cent for the quarter.
Grace Nweke was on the end of some long feeds from her midcourters, but failed to capitalise on possesion gains, and the Vixens once again found a break as Austin fired home the first of the Super Shots for the term.
Whyte levelled it up straight away at 13 apiece as she found the bottom of the net from range, however the Vixens enjoyed the ascendency at the break as Austin made another two-pointer, and made the most of the final centre pass to lead 18-16 as the two sides went into the huddle.
There was plenty of similarity to the first term as the second got underway, with the Vixens getting out to a game-high 23-18 lead early, before the Swifts went on a run of their own, scoring five of the next six to get back to one behind.
With all the momentum the home side continued to forge ahead, taking the lead at 26-25 for the first time in the contest as Nweke converted everything that came her way and the Swifts led by two at halftime.
The home side widened the gap to a game-high six goals in the opening stages of third quarter, but in the blink of an eye the Vixens pulled the deficit back to one following five straight scores.
It would be back and forth for much of the remaining minutes in the third term, however a pair of two-point conversions from Austin late, combined with a pair of misses at the other end for the Swifts, saw things levelled up at 48 apiece at the last break.
There were contributors across the court for the Vixens in the win, with skipper Kate Moloney named MVP following a 22 feed, one intercept and one deflection effort, racking up 86 net points, while the likes of Garbin (102 net points, 47 goals) and Austin (56 net points, 25 feeds) were in fine form.
The Swifts were well represented on a huge night for the club, with Whyte starring up front with 40 feeds and some brilliant shooting from range, while Nweke (82.5 net points, 49 goals) and Proud (76 net points, 16 feeds) were among their best performers.
The Swifts will look to rebound when they take on the Firebirds at Nissan Arena, also on Saturday night, where they will hunt a second win of the 2026 campaign.
