Despite the loss, Fever showed how competitive their squad is with Jordan Cransberg debuting at Wing Defence with Emma Cosh and Nat Butler, fresh out of retirement, sharing the Goal Attack position.
Before the game, Vice Captain Jess Anstiss and Goal Attack Sasha Glasgow were ruled out of the squad due to COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols.
Moments that Mattered
Swifts brought scores level with a minute left on the clock and they were able to hold up play and feed the ball into Goal Shooter Romelda Aiken-George for her to score the winning goal on the final siren, despite the best efforts of the 7,048 strong Green Army.
Verity Simmons had a great game in Centre with 26 Feeds, 20 Goal Assists and a Gain despite her midcourt teammates changing around her.
Quarter by Quarter
Q1: WCF 17 | SWI 19
After a tense opening few centre passes, Swifts were the first team able to break the deadlock. Fever couldn’t convert their chances in response despite multiple gains from Goal Keeper Courtney Bruce.
Cosh started the game in Goal Attack and showed her shooting prowess in the Power 5 with a Super Shot to bring scores even. Swifts Goal Attack Helen Housby was able to respond with two Super Shots of her own to ensure the Sydney side finished the quarter ahead.
Q2: WCF 30 | SWI 32
Fever had to contend with some impressive midcourt pressure in the second term, often being forced to take the long way into the circle. After another Swifts turnover Dan Ryan called a timeout, bringing on Cransberg into Wing Defence for her National League debut.
Sunday Aryang’s pressure led to a defensive Rebound which was converted by Cosh to bring scores level. Fowler then put one through the net to give Fever the lead but like the first quarter, Housby was consistent with her Super Shots and gave her team a two-goal lead at half time.
Q3: WCF 49 | SWI 48
Fever begun the second half with a bang thanks to Bruce getting a Rebound and Simmons getting an intercept bringing the game back on centre pass.
Butler came on the court for the first time in green for five years and immediately impressed showing she wasn’t afraid to take on some long-distance shooting.
The early run saw Fever take a six-goal lead midway through the third quarter but Housby once again brought her team Power 5 momentum with multiple Super Shots to bring scores almost level.
Q4: WCF 64 | SWI 65
With the game on a knife’s edge coming into the final 15 minutes of play, Fever got off to a good start pushing the margin to five goals.
Bruce did everything she could to maintain the lead including an athletic Defensive Rebound that she kept in Fever possession despite being off balance, falling over the base line.
A couple of turnovers for the Swifts were enough to get their nose back in the game and in the dying seconds Aiken-George was able to put through one last goal to snatch the win.
Stats
Goals: Fowler 53 | Aiken-George 28
Super Shots: Cosh 2 | Housby 10
Goal Assists: Simmons 20 | Hadley, Housby 16
Feeds: Teague-Neeld 33 | Hadley 30
Centre Pass Receives: Teague-Neeld 26 | Hadley 28
Deflections: Bruce, Aryang 4 | Turner 5
Gains: Bruce 4 | O’Shannassy 3
Match Report by Oliver Lane
