THE NSW Swifts exacted revenge over the Sunshine Coast Lightning following an earlier loss to the Lightning this season, to run home seven-goal victors in what was a seesawing affair (61-54). Holding the lead at half-time the Lightning simply could not maintain that level of intensity as the Swifts elevated their attacking play and boosted their defensive efforts to reduce their opponents’ speed in transition and ultimately run out seven-goal winners.

Donning a different starting seven to what many are used to, the Swifts were keen to make amends for their lacklustre performance the last time the played the Lightning with Helen Housby bursting out of the blocks. It was a fast start for the Swifts with Housby dominating under the post and using her quick change of direction to keep Phumza Maweni out of the action and guessing. The Swifts opened up a handy buffer but that was quickly drawn back as Sunshine Coast worked their way into the contest. It was a battle of the goal shooters early as Cara Koenen controlled the flow for the Lightning in attack with her clever one step to get Sarah Klau off the body. A missed shot from Steph Wood allowed the Swifts to skip out to a three-goal lead with Natalie Haythornthwaite finding her rhythm in the attacking third to deliver pin point accurate passes into the goal circle.

After announcing her retirement from international netball earlier in the week, Laura Langman showed her class and sheer athleticism throughout the first quarter, seeming to have the ball on a string and setting up plenty of attacking forays for her side. It was a fierce battle between the two sides with neither side able to really assert themselves, going toe-to-toe throughout the term. Housby led the charge with the super shot while the Lightning proved they were more than happy to take the one as Koenen dominated the backspace to go into the break level.

Sloppy hands off the centre pass gifted the Swifts with a chance to string back to back goals and establish a two-goal lead. Maddy Proud came out with a real fire in the belly contesting every pass that came her way especially around circle edge. Sophie Garbin proved to be a key cog in the goal circle for the Swifts with the goal attack not afraid to take on the physical pressure and stand up to the challenge. Strong hands over pressure from Maddy McAuliffe saw the wing defence pick up a timely intercept as the Lightning started to motor across the court and wrestle back the lead. It remained goal for goal for the early stages as the Swifts rotation in the goal defence position continued with Sophie Craig and Lauren Moore both spending time out the front of Klau.

With a timeout called at the eight minute mark the Lightning looked to the bench with Peace Proscovia entering the game in at goal shooter and Koenen pushing out to goal attack. The move seemed to pay dividends for Sunshine Coast with the Queensland based side pushing out to a game-high four goal lead. Moments later the Swifts shook things up in the goal circle with Sam Wallace taking the court in at goal shooter and providing that immediate high release into the circle. The intensity lifted in the final minutes of quarter with both sides playing at a frantic pace as the ball darted up and down the court. Maweni came alive with the goal keeper coming out hunting and picking up a wealth of ball while partner in crime Karla Pretorius also kicked it up a notch nullifying Garbin and Housby. Out to as much as five goals, a super shot on the edge of half-time saw the Swifts cut the deficit to three goals.

The third quarter picked up where it left off with both sides converting off their centre pass before a Garbin miss enabled the Lightning to propel down court and open up a handy five-goal lead. Klau plied her trade, owning the defensive third to get hands to ball and stop the Lightning as they clawed their way back into the contest. A couple of errant passes in the attack end for Sunshine Coast cost them opportunities to put their foot down as Laura Scherian struggled to continue her scintillating form from earlier in the game as Paige Hadley dialled it up a notch with her strong hands over pressure and marking style of play. The Swifts started to fire in attack with their connections on court causing havoc as their defensive pressure also increased to win ball back and shut down any easy pass into the shooters as they stole the momentum and the lead.

The combination of Koenen and Proscovia lacked movement, prompting Wood to re-enter the game in order to regain some form of control on the game. The lead continued to ebb and flow throughout the term with the Lightning unable to capitalise on the opportunities they continued to get. The full court pressure from the Swifts was getting to the Lightning as their movement was well and truly stifled across the court.

With one goal separating the two sides at the final change the game was destined to go down to the wire as the both units looked to punish in attack and defence. An early turnover saw the Swifts pull away once again but the Lightning were determined to not let the game slide as a Langman inspired deflection shrunk the deficit. Craig was doing a mountain load of work in wing defence shutting down the drive of Scherian and while the lead got out to as much as five goals the Lightning toiled away to get back within striking distance. But with the game on the line it was the Swifts who knuckled down in the dying minutes to accelerate away from the Lightning and secure their sixth win.

Getting the nod at goal attack, Garbin came out all guns blazing early and finished with 11 goals for the game. Housby controlled the scoreboard with 24 goals while Wallace also sunk 24 goals at an impressive 92 per cent accuracy. Koenen was solid as ever under the post for the Lightning sinking a game high 28 goals at 93 per cent while Wood struggled to find her range with 11 goals from 19 attempts. Proud starred from start to finish for the Swifts, winning player of the match thanks to her 18 goal assists and three deflections. Defensively Klau also proved to be the difference, injecting herself into the game amassing two intercepts, eight deflections and a rebound.

>>> SWIFTS TEAM PAGE
>>> LIGHTNING TEAM PAGE
>>> FULL GAME STATS

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NSW SWIFTS 16 | 13 | 15 | 17 (61)
SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING 16 | 16 | 11 | 11 (54)

STARTING SEVEN

NSW Swifts

GS: Helen Housby
GA: Sophie Garbin
WA: Nat Haythornthwaite
C: Maddy Proud
WD: Paige Hadley
GD: Lauren Moore
GK: Sarah Klau

Sunshine Coast Lightning

GS: Cara Koenen
GA: Steph Wood
WA: Laura Scherian
C: Laura Langman
WD: Jacqui Russell
GD: Karla Pretorius
GK: Phumza Maweni