THE final game of Round 13 of Suncorp Super Netball was a tight as the ones that preceded it, with Collingwood securing a crucial win the Sunshine Coast Lightning 68-60.

A tight affair for much of the match, the win was a crucial one for Collingwood’s finals chances, as they now sit in fourth with one round to go.

It was the Lightning who took the lead twice in the opening term.

First time around, the visitors reeled them back in pretty quickly.

Second time around, not as quickly.

The Lightning held a four goal lead for much of the back half of the quarter, but the Magpies were able to reel them in and take the lead with a couple of minutes to go in the quarter.

However, that was not the end of the story for the quarter as Steph Wood shot a super shot with only a couple of seconds left which saw the Lightning take a single goal lead into the first change.

The second quarter started much like the first, with an even goal for goal slog between the sides.

Then, the Lightning got a lead going again, but this time they could only get it out to as much as three goals.

The second quarter’s power five can only be described as one of swinging momentums. Both sides took the lead several times during the period, but a Gabrielle Sinclair super shot ensured it was the visitors who emerged from the quarter with a one goal lead.

Collingwood were the much better side for much of the third term.

They built a handy buffer during the quarter, with their lead getting out to as much as six goals in the middle part of the term.

However, the Lightning had other ideas in the back end of the term, as Wood nailed three super shots on the way to reducing the margin back to a single goal at the final change.

Collingwood restored their lead early in the last, and got ahead by as much as five in the middle part of the term.

As much as Wood tried to super shot her side back into the match, and did land another shot in the final term, the Lightning shooters were for the most part very inaccurate when it counted. So, although they briefly pegged the margin back, the Magpies ultimately proved they were too strong and ran away with the six goal win.

The defence end for Collingwood were the real stars of the match.

Jodi-Ann Ward finished with five intercepts and three deflections, while Geva Mentor finished with a whopping eight deflections and an intercept.

Kelsey Browne responded from her Diamonds’ disappointment in the best way possible, finishing with 43 feeds and 25 goal assists .

Meanwhile for the Lightning, Wood was really their star of the show. If not for her six super shots she landed, things could have been very different for the Lightning and they would not have been in contention in the match for nearly as long.  

Next week sees Collingwood back at home to face arch rivals the Vixens, while the Lightning are in Sydney to face the GIANTS.

SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING     17 | 16 | 17 | 12 (62)
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES             16 | 18 | 17 | 17 (68)

STARTING SEVENS

Sunshine Coast Lightning:

GS: Cara Koenen
GA: Steph Wood
WA: Laura Scherian
C: Maddie Hinchliffe
WD: Mahalia Cassidy
GD: Tara Hinchliffe
GK: Kadie-Ann Dehaney

Collingwood Magpies:

GS: Shimona Nelson
GA: Sophie Garbin
WA: Kelsey Browne
C: Molly Jovic
WD: Ash Brazill
GD: Jodi-Ann Ward
GK: Geva Mentor