West Coast Fever have lost to a fired-up Collingwood side 65-62 in Launceston ending the team’s top-two chances.
Moments that Mattered
Both teams came to put on a show for the Magpies’ final game in the Suncorp Super Netball competition. Courtney Bruce epitomised this with plenty of her trademark Intercepts and Deflections throughout the game.
In the dying seconds of the game with three goals the margin, Fever had a chance to stage a remarkable comeback thanks to a Sunday Aryang intercept. A Super Shot and another score off Fever’s centre pass would have tied or won the game but in the end the pass to Jhaniele Fowler went over the baseline to quell any opportunity.
Quarter by Quarter
Q1: WCF 15 | COL 16
The first quarter was a cagey affair for both sides as the players were trying to find their footing..
Bruce was able to capitalise on some errant goal shooting by Collingwood as she picked up two Gains and four Deflections to keep Fever a whisker away from the Magpies.
The margin never surpassed two goals as Collingwood’s defensive duo of Geva Mentor and Jodi-Ann Ward were able to contest with Fever’s offence.
Q2: WCF 32 | COL 32
The close contest continue through the second term as there was nothing to split the two sides once again. Fever managed to get back some control early in the quarter and take the lead with the centre pass.
Alice Teague-Neeld had a strong performance with eight Goal Assists and 10 Feeds in the term. Teague-Neeld and Verity Simmons won a tough mid court battle full of fireworks against Ash Brazill and Maddie Hinchliffe.
Neither team were perfect and Super Shots were few and far between in the first half meaning the scores finished level at the main break.
Q3: WCF 44 | COL 51
Dan Ryan shifted up the midcourt and defence as Simmons came off for Kim Jenner who slotted in at Goal Defence while Jess Anstiss moved to Centre and Sunday Aryang to Wing Defence.
After eight minutes of back and forth scoring, it was Fever who blinked first and gave away two turnovers to fall behind.
Not even an impressive Deflection from Sasha Glasgow which led to a Gain was enough to get Fever back in it as robust midcourt pressure from Collingwood made life difficult for feeding into Fowler.
Q4: WCF 62 | COL 65
At the start of the fourth quarter, Ryan switched the lineup back to the starting seven as he looked for ways to get back in the game.
Bruce led from the front, doing everything she should to reduce the margin. With two Intercepts she did just that and by the eleventh minute Fever drew level.
Collingwood were able to nudge ahead again by five goals and held on for the win despite a Fowler Super Shot and a late turnover giving Fever a glimmer of hope.
Stats
Goals: Fowler 54 | Nelson 51
Super Shots: Glasgow, Fowler 1 | Garbin 1
Goal Assists: Teague-Neeld 24 | Garbin 20
Feeds: Teague-Neeld 37 | Browne 32
Centre Pass Receives: Teague-Neeld 24 | Browne 33
Deflections: Bruce 7 | Ward 5
Gains: Bruce 5 | Ward 4
Intercepts: Bruce 4 | Ward 2
Match Report By Oliver Lane