THE season of the NSW Swifts is still alive, after they defeated the Queensland Firebirds 63-61.
In a game full of swinging momentums, it was ultimately the home side who won.
The Swifts got the better start to the match, racing ahead to a seven goal to none lead.
Uncharacteristic errors from the Firebirds really hurt them and the Swifts certainly capitalized.
The Firebirds then really got into the game, and their score benefitted from it. They got within two of their hosts, but ultimately the Swifts still held a three goal lead at quarter time.
Things were very different in the second term as compared to the first.
The Swifts briefly extended their lead out in the second term, but then the Firebirds came back at them and really wrestled control back.
Just as the power five period started, the Firebirds levelled things up and took the lead and things really started to get interesting.
The Firebirds built a lead in the final minute of the quarter to take a three goal lead into the main break.
The defensive pressure from the Firebirds increased as the quarter went on, as did their patience and composure up forward.
Queensland maintained their five goal lead for much of the quarter, but the Swifts’ shooters then found their accuracy from super shot range and that lead was gone in an instance.
NSW pinched the lead late in the piece, and took a two goal lead into the final change.
Both sides traded blows early in the final term, but the Swifts managed to get a few on the trot to extend their lead out even further.
Queensland got the margin back to two with a couple of minutes left before the power five, and suddenly the final winner became harder and harder to predict.
Things remained tight and intense in the power five, with both teams trading blows.
Fortunately for the Swifts, time was ultimately on their side and despite some accurate super shot shooting from the Firebirds the home side held on for the crucial win.
Maddy Proud finished with a whopping 47 feeds and 31 goal assists for the Swifts, and she worked well in tandem with Paige Hadley, who finished with 34 feeds and 16 goal assists of her own.
Meanwhile for the Firebirds, Gretel Bueta only missed one shot all game, and worked really well with Donnell Wallam in particular.
NSW SWIFTS 17 | 13 | 18 | 15 (63)
QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS 14 | 19 | 13 | 15 (61)
STARTING SEVENS
NSW Swifts
GS: Helen Housby
GA: Kelly Singleton
WA: Paige Hadley
C: Maddy Proud
WD: Allie Smith
GD: Maddy Turner
GK: Sarah Klau
Queensland Firebirds:
GS: Donnell Wallam
GA: Gretel Bueta
WA: Jemma Mi Mi
C: Kim Ravaillion
WD: Gabi Simpson
GD: Ruby Bakewell-Doran
GK: Eboni Usoro-Brown
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