NSW Swifts (68) defeat Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (62)

NSW Swifts (68) defeated Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (62)

Media Release
Sunday 1 March 2015

Official Result & Statistics

Official Result: NSW Swifts (68) defeated Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (62)

It was third time lucky for the NSW Swifts when they prevailed 68-62 in a high quality thriller against a spirited Southern Steel in Invercargill on Sunday.

Favoured by many to win this year’s competition, the Swifts packed plenty of punch through their talented line-up to register their first ever win, in their third attempt, in the deep south, so often a graveyard for visiting teams.
Experience proved to be the key in the end but the visitors were pushed all the way by the Steel’s youthful exuberance, the locals showing little respect for reputations in a high-scoring entertaining contest.

With the scores locked through the first half of an exciting closing quarter, the Steel were first to blink, the smallest of errors counting heavily. The hugely experienced Swifts were quick to punish, their relentless intensity taking its toll as the visitors added the finishing touches to close out the match strongly. Both teams opened up with an intense, high-paced, top quality brand of netball which provided a number of highlights.

The youthful Steel team took the experienced Swifts on across all areas of the court as the score remained close through the opening exchanges. Towering Jamaican import Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, in her third season with the southerners, was the key target for the home team, latching on to precision-placed bombs courtesy of Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Gina Crampton and Shannon Francois as the home team went toe-to-toe with the visitors.

At the other end, the exciting defensive combination of Storm Purvis and Phoenix Karaka made the Swifts well-performed shooting duo of Susan Pettitt (nee Pratley) and Caitlin Thwaites work hard for their rewards.

Dictating on attacking the Steel forged a three-goal lead before the Swifts, who recruited strongly during the off-season, produced a late surge to take a 17-15 lead into the first break.
The Swifts big game players of shooting duo Thwaites and Pettitt, the tireless work rate of midcourter and captain Kim Green and the presence of dynamic defenders Julie Corletto and Sharni Layton all helped the Swifts gain an edge on the resumption.

With the intensity showing no signs of lessening and the teams going goal-for-goal, Swifts fed off an extra supply of ball through the hunting skills of livewire defender Layton. Thwaites and Pettitt enjoyed a dominant patch as the Swifts swung out to a six-goal advantage.

The southerners showed their spirit with a strong burst of their own to repair some of the damage as the Swifts kept their noses in front 34-31 at the main break.

Swifts introduced their experienced England import Jade Clarke at centre for the second half with Green moving to wing attack while Purvis and Karaka swapped positions in the Steel’s defence line.

The accomplished Swifts line-up continued to retain overall control but to their credit, the new Steel line-up did not take a backward step, let down at crucial times by unforced errors and the occasional rush of blood.

Closing to within one, Steel could not get the vital impetus to break their opponent’s grip but did enough to ensure the Swifts never felt comfortable. With the spoils shared through a tight third quarter, the Swifts held their three-goal buffer as they headed to the last break with a 49-46 lead.

Swifts shooting statistics:
Caitlin Thwaites 39/43 (91%)
Susan Pettitt 29/32 (91%)

Steel shooting statistics:
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 46/55 (84%)
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 16/19 (84%)

MVP: Caitlin Thwaites (NSW Swifts)

END

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