Awesome arm wrestle sees Vixens ultimately prevail
The Melbourne Vixens have recorded their second win of the 2023 season, downing the GIANTS 62 to 57 in an absolute tussle.
The lead see sawed multiple times across the match but the Vixens pulled away late to take the win.
It was as tight as it could possibly get in the opening minutes of the first term. Both teams traded blows as the contest became a true arm wrestle.
It took about five minutes for either side – ultimately the Vixens – to establish a proper lead, but just as quickly, the GIANTS reeled it back in again.
The defence of the Vixens was particularly strong, putting the GIANTS attackers under a lot of pressure and causing a few held balls. The Vixens’ attackers were then capitalising up the other end, and as such re-established a lead as the quarter reached its halfway mark.
However the GIANTS were not going to settle for that, and as the quarter drew to a close, put the Super Shot to draw level, but the Vixens scored the last two goals of the term, which included a Super Shot of their own, to take a three goal lead into the first break.
Things continued where they left off to start the second term, as the Vixens were able to maintain their lead.
The margin sat at five goals by the time the Power Five hit, but the GIANTS certainly tried to get themselves back into the match. Unfortunately for the visitors they missed key shots, which was never going to help their cause.
They did eventually start hitting the Super Shots so were able to reduce the margin to just one, and after a late flurry of Super Shots, that is exactly where things sat at the main break.
Their speed in attack was the Vixens’ own worst enemy early in the third term, as the GIANTS eliminated the deficit and took the lead.
The visitors got out to as much as a five goal lead during the Power Five period but by the time the teams turned for home the sides were all square.
The lead continuously see-sawed in the opening part of the final quarter, with neither side able to manage to establish much of a lead.
It took them until the Power Five, but the Vixens did eventually pull away from the GIANTS.
They scored the final five goals of the match and the GIANTS did not score any goals in the final five minutes, to ultimately result in the five-goal margin. The GIANTS certainly kept pushing but just could not convert.
Kiera Austin (15 goals from 18 attempts, 12 feeds, nine assists and a rebound) and Liz Watson (40 feeds, 20 assists) were real workhorses driving the attack for the Vixens, while for the Giants Sophie Dwyer shot a whopping six Super Shots, while Jamie-Lee Price (41 feeds, 17 assists) was absolutely everywhere.
MELBOURNE VIXENS 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 (62)
GIANTS NETBALL 12 | 17 | 18 | 10 (57)
STARTING SEVENS
Melbourne Vixens
GS: Mwai Kumwenda
GA: Kiera Austin
WA: Liz Watson
C: Kate Moloney
WD: Kate Eddy
GD: Jo Weston
GK: Emily Mannix
GIANTS Netball:
GS: Jo Harten
GA: Sophie Dwyer
WA: Maddie Hay
C: Jamie-Lee Price
WD: Amy Parmenter
GD: April Brandley
GK: Tilly McDonnell
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