Fever were challenged in the first quarter by the Mavericks but a dominate second quarter was the catalyst for the seven-goal victory.
Q1: Fever 14 | Mavericks 17
Fever started the quarter strongly off the back off high defensive pressure however, the Mavericks were able to wrestle back control half way through the quarter.
Six turnovers to three was the catalyst for the Mavericks quarter time lead which was reduced late by a Shanice Beckford supershot.
Shimona Jok was making life hard for Fever’s defence in her return to Suncorp Super Netball.
Q2: Fever 40 | Mavericks 32
Fever came out blazing in the second quarter and had hit the front within two minutes of the resumption after intercepts to Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Jess Anstiss. Anstiss finished the quarter with two gains, an intercept and a deflection.
Kelsey Browne had an amazing quarter for Fever as her energy, pressure and connection with the goalers saw Fever control and dominate the contest.
By the time the Power Five came around, Fever had a nine-goal lead and despite five supershots from the Mavericks, three to Beckford saw Fever take an eight-goal lead into the main break.
Q3: Fever 54 | Mavericks 43
Dehaney and Fran Williams were the defensive stars of the third quarter. Dehaney collected three gains, two intercepts and a rebound, while Williams had two gains, an intercept and a rebound to help Fever control the quarter and build a lead.
By the time Power Five came around, Fever were up by 12 and with only one Mavericks supershot to Sinclair, they went into the final change leading by 11.
Q4: Fever 69 | Mavericks 62
The fourth quarter started as an arm wrestle as Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard scored her 42nd goal for the evening and brough up 8,000 National League Goals in the process.
At the start of Power Five Fever held a 10-goal lead before the Mavericks’ supershot prowess saw them cut the lead to five.
Coach Dan Ryan called a time out and Fever came out more composed and controlled the final minutes of the game to secure the win.
Fever face another road trip in Round 4 when they travel to Sydney to take on the NSW Swifts at Ken Rosewell Arena next Sunday.
