In front of a record regular season home attendance of 11,119 fans, the Vixens pressure across the court made it difficult for Fever who recorded their first lost of the season.
Q1 Fever 22 | Vixens 19
Fever’s First Nations Round kicked off with an electric first few minutes, the energy produced by the massive crowd fuelling both sides to go after some quick goals.
The first quarter belonged to Shanice Beckford who turned the Vixens lead around with her speed, working around her opposition Emily Mannix. Combine her deflection, intercept and a huge four super shots, Fever led by three at quarter time.
Q2 Fever 36 | Vixens 42
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard opened the second quarter with one of her nine goals, utilising her iconic split and long reach over the Vixens defence.
Captain Jess Anstiss, Kadie- Ann Dehaney and Beckford all took a deflection for the quarter, while Sunday Aryang earnt herself an intercept.
Kelsey Browne entered the court in the ninth minute after two weeks off with injury and made her presence known, alongside Olivia Wilkinson who scored two super shots for the quarter after coming on for the Power Five.
Q3 Fever 48 | Vixens 59
The third quarter began goal for goal between the side and the tight game continued despite the Vixens six-goal lead.
Fowler- Nembhard demonstrated her defensive talent in goals, taking an intercept that led to a Beckford goal.
The mid court worked in sync with one another, reading each other’s moves before they happened. Jordan Cransberg and Alice Teague-Neeld both took five feeds, while Anstiss managed an intercept and Teague-Neeld a deflection.
The Vixens controlled the end of the quarter, scoring the last five goals to lead by 11 at the final change.
Q4 Fever 65 | Vixens 76
The last quarter was all about defence for Fever, working hard for a win until the final siren.
Aryang had a strong performance in Wing Defence with a deflection, Williams took two in Goal Defence, and in Goal Keeper Dehaney took three intercepts.
Both Wilkinson and Fowler-Nembhard took two super shots in the fourth, a fantastic effort as Fever tried to run down the Vixens.
Fever got within six goals late in the final term however, the Vixens agin finished strong to record a win.
At the half-way point of the season Fever sit at the top of the ladder with six wins and one loss. Next week Fever travel to the Sunshine Coast to play the Lightning on Saturday.
