THE NSW Swifts came out flying in their 55-43 victory over an uncharacteristically sloppy Melbourne Vixens outfit, downing their traditional rivals with ease and relegating the reigning premiers to the bottom of the ladder in the process. While the Vixens fought back in the third and did not allow the Swifts to heavily extend their lead, it was not enough as the Swifts skipped away with a 12-goal victory in front of home fans.

The first quarter was a masterclass in cleanliness from the Swifts, as the Vixens just could not compare and struggled in comparison. With little connection out the front and a tight double defence on Mwai Kumwenda credit to the workrate of an on-song Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner, the Swifts had little to stop them from extending a lead from the get-go limiting the Vixens to just two goals before the six-minute mark. Sam Wallace dominated against Emily Mannix with her body positioning and dictation of where to place the ball, with full credit going to the likes of Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley for continuously finding her at the post with ease. Whilst the Vixens’ intensity lifted slightly to register six more goals for the quarter, Ruby Barkmeyer and Kaylia Stanton struggled to find their range under pressure as the Swifts commanded every facet of the game.

The second quarter rolled around and so did the Vixens changes, with Kumwenda moved out to goal attack and Stanton pushed back to her more familiar goal shooter bib, while Kate Moloney was pushed up the court to wing attack, Allie Smith to centre and Kadie-Ann Dehaney to goal keeper. While the changes appeared to work in patches, with the new-look midcourt combining a fraction better, the side was still unable to really find the goals with the hunt and dash from Klau cutting off options every which way. However, it appeared to be the Wallace show with Helen Housby having a tough time injecting herself into the contest credit to the tough marking from Jo Weston, although that attention effectively made it easier for Wallace to be the shining star with her vision and timing to make her move. A couple of super shot misses toward the end of the quarter did not help the Vixens’ pursuit, as the Swifts headed into the main break with a 14-goal lead.

A huge second half opened with yet another Wallace goal as the Swifts looked to extend their lead and really punish in the third. But the Vixens once more showcased their ability to fight back as Kumwenda came alive, although Stanton still struggled to put up shots. A goal-for-goal period extended before the Swifts defence made the Vixens pay once more, and Dehaney was forced off the court following an errant elbow and resulting winding from Wallace. A couple of strings of goals from the Vixens allowed them to take the quarter win despite a Wallace super shot to finish, trailing by nine goals as the final quarter came calling.

It was another shaky 15 minutes from the Vixens, with the in-form Kumwenda creating a little magic with a layup but almost immediately going down clutching her calf with what looked like a nasty cramp. That forced yet another Vixens change in the circle as the side was forced to rely on Barkmeyer and Stanton, who looked uncomfortable against the Swifts’ tight defence. Injury struck next for the Swifts as Proud hobbled off with what appeared to be a potential Achilles injury, as the side rode out the eventual 55-43 win.

Player of the match Klau dominated with seven gains (two intercepts, three deflections to advantage from six, two rebounds and a pickup) as Turner piled on the pressure for six gains of her own (four deflections). Hadley (17 assists) showcased her attacking nous as Proud (12, two deflections) impressed out in wing attack. Wallace starred with another 100 per cent ball-game, pilling on 48 goals (two super shots) while Housby (three from five, 10 assists, two deflections) and Sophie Garbin (two from five) were kept quiet but still played their role well. For the Vixens, Kumwenda piled on 28 goals at 88 per cent, while Barkmeyer (five from eight) and Stanton (six from 13 but eight general play turnovers) struggled to inject themselves into the contest. Dehaney and Smith picked up two intercepts apiece as Kate Eddy picked up three gains against her former team.

NSW SWIFTS 18 | 14 | 12 | 11 (55)
MELBOURNE VIXENS 8 | 11 | 16 | 8 (43)

STARTING SEVENS:

Swifts

GS: Sam Wallace
GA: Helen Housby
WA: Maddy Proud
C: Paige Hadley
WD: Lauren Moore
GD: Maddy Turner
GK: Sarah Klau

Vixens

GS: Mwai Kumwenda
GA: Ruby Barkmeyer
WA: Hannah Mundy
C: Kate Moloney
WD: Kate Eddy
GD: Jo Weston 
GK: Emily Mannix

Picture credit: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images