Moments that Mattered
Despite the Fever leading for the majority of the match, it was four final quarter Super Shots by Adelaide Star Eleanor Cardwell that stole the win away from Fever in front of a vocal 7,615 strong crowd.
Cardwell’s fourth Super Shot of the quarter took the lead with 13 seconds left to play.
Quarter by Quarter
Q1: WCF 20 | THU 17
Despite a shaky start for the Fever, they quickly regrouped and began to build a lead through the first quarter.
A pair of Super Shots by Sasha Glasgow brought the Fever’s lead out to nine goals before Cardwell responded with a trio of two pointers of her own to close the quarter.
Q2: WCF 35 | THU 31
Fever were forced to work hard for their opporunities throughout the second term. Courtney Bruce came alive as she created headaches for the Thunderbirds’ offence which included a Gain leading to Jhaniele Fowler’s 300th goal of the season.
Bruce was joined in the final minutes of the half by Rudi Ellis in a tactical reshuffle, coming on for Sunday Aryang, and achieving a Rebound almost immediately.
Q3: WCF 50 | THU 45
The Thunderbirds took the momentum early in the third term bringing the scores level with six minutes to play.
Feeding from Alice Teague-Neeld in the dying minutes of the quarter allowed play to open up for Fever and a flurry of goals gave them a five-goal margin to defend.
Q4: WCF 63 | THU 64
Tensions were high with the game coming to a close as the Fever tried to hold off a spirited Adelaide comeback.
The much-anticipated battle between Jamaican teammates Fowler and Shamera Sterling proved decisive as the Goal Keeper made it difficult for Fever to connect into the circle.
Verity Simmons marked her 150th National League Game with a hearty performance of 32 Feeds and three Deflections in the centre court.
Captain Bruce played well in a combination of Goal Keeper and Goal Defence making five Gains and eight Deflections. Ellis made the most of her time on the court partnering Bruce for three Rebounds.
Fever remain half a game on top of the SSN ladder and will now travel to the Sunshine Coast to play the Lightning on Sunday 30 April.
Stats:
Goals: Fowler 51 | Cardwell 41
Super Shots: Glasgow 4 | Cardwell 8
Goal Assists: Teague-Neeld 26 | Horjus 20
Feeds: Teague-Neeld 34 | Horgus 34
Centre Pass Receives: Teague-Neeld 26 | Horjus 26
Deflections: Bruce 8 | Sterling 6
Gains: Bruce 5 | Wilson 6
Intercepts: Bruce, Glasgow 1 | Wilson 5
Match Report by: Oliver Lane
