NEW South Wales (NSW) Swifts have produced their best performance of the season to down a strong Melbourne Vixens team on the road on Sunday afternoon. The Swifts lost Sophie Garbin before the game, but following on from the weekend’s trend of injured sides getting up – with the Fever downing the Magpies and Lightning knocking off the GIANTS – the Swifts had all the answers, even when challenged. They not only won away, but they claimed all eight points in a dominant performance against arguably the competition benchmark side, littered with Diamonds.

The first quarter saw the the normally reliable Vixens miss two shots, with Caitlin Thwaites and Tegan Philip shooting 13 of a possible 15 goals, the difference in the quarter as Sam Wallace and Helen Housby nailed all 16 attempts. In her 50th league game Maddy Turner was huge in restricting Philip, recording four deflections and two gains credit to her work rate, hands over pressure and ability to read the play. Wing defence Kate Eddy was also important in disrupting the attacking end of the Vixens picking up a couple of intercepts as the Swifts headed into the break with a three-goal lead.

That lead increased to six by the main break as Sarah Klau began to have a huge impact at goal keeper. With the Vixens unable to find their normal connections in attack and create space Thwaites moved out to goal attack, forcing Philip to drop back into goal shooter. Thwaites relished the extra space driving hard into the circle and giving the defenders something extra to think about. She posted nine from 11 in the term credit to her composure and accuracy with ball in hand before another change came which saw Philip head to the bench making way for South African goaler Ine-Mari Venter in her debut game for the Vixens. Philip had just six of a possible nine shots at that stage, while Thwaites had 18 of 21. Credit must go to the Swifts who forced the changes, as Wallace (eight goals from nine attempts) and Housby (six from six) continued to pile on the pressure, while Klau had three gains and two rebounds in the quarter. Even when the Vixens made their charge in the quarter to cut the deficit to one, the Swifts had the answers.

Philip returned to the court for the third term, and found her groove with six goals from six attempts, but Klau’s work on Thwaites continued as the normally heavy volume shooter managed just six goals from seven attempts. While the defensive circle was doing its job for the visitors, Wallace and Housby continued to pile on the pressure, as Wallace nailed all 11 attempts, while Housby sank three out of four. Paige Hadley in centre played out of her skin in the third quarter, recording seven goal assists and nine feeds, while Maddy Proud had five goal assists and seven feeds. The connection between Hadley and Proud is growing week in week out, setting up clever triangle plays at the top of the circle and consistently swinging the ball around to find an opening in the circle. Their ability to thread the needle and use their speed to get into damaging positions on the circle edge is second to none. For the Vixens, Liz Watson was doing all she could at wing attack, with 19 goal assists, producing more than half of the Vixens’ 36 goals.

Despite the eight-goal lead at the final break, the Swifts knew the importance of bonus points and the firepower at the Vixens’ disposal, powering on to a 16-14 final term to win 60-50. Wallace was enormous again under the post with 14 of a possible 15 goals, while Housby shot two from four. While many would have predicted the versatile Swifts to be the side to make changes throughout the game, their pressure and cohesion forced the Vixens to be the ones to shuffle the magnets. Kate Moloney was her usual self instructing the troops across the court and working tirelessly while Renae Ingles was down on her normal standards credit to the work of Proud in attack. Watson continued her great form for the four quarters, but Venter returned to the court after nine minutes to play the final seven with Philip as Thwaites had a break. The Vixens only missed the one goal – as Venter and Thwaites nailed all four of their attempts, but it would not be enough as the Swifts enjoyed a 60-50 win at Margaret Court Arena.

Hadley won Player of the Match for her work in the centre on Kate Moloney, finishing the game with an impressive 18 goal assists and 27 feeds, while Proud was equally as strong with a massive 26 goal assists and 35 feeds. Wallace finished the game with 45 goals from 47 attempts, as her partner in crime, Housby had 15 from 18. Klau’s three intercepts, two rebounds and five gains were a highlight as Turner had the three gains, seven deflections and one rebound. For the Vixens, Moloney and Watson were strong, combining for 42 goal assists and 55 feeds, as only four other assists and six feeds came from other players. Emily Mannix still ahd the seven deflections and one gain, while Venter’s debut yielded her four goals at 100 per cent, working with both Philip (18 from 22) and Thwaites (28 from 32). The result saw the Swifts take top spot, while the Vixens rue their first loss of the season after surviving a scare from the Fever a week earlier.

STARTING LINE-UP:

Melbourne Vixens:

GS |Caitlin Thwaites
GA |Tegan Philip
WA |Liz Watson
C |Kate Moloney
WD |Renae Ingles
GD |Jo Weston
GK |Emily Mannix

NSW Swifts:

GS |Sam Wallace
GA |Helen Housby
WA |Maddy Proud
C |Paige Hadley
WD |Kate Eddy
GD |Maddy Turner
GK |Sarah Klau