A last quarter team effort saw Fever snatch a 67-62 victory from the NSW Swifts at USC Stadium on Sunday.
Fever had been trailing the Swifts since midway through the first quarter, but a change in team personnel in the second half saw Fever hit another level.
Young Fever training partner Sunday Aryang stepped up to the challenge in her first Suncorp Super Netball final and played her part in the big moments. Her third quarter efforts saw her have three intercepts, three gains and a deflection, which put the Fever side back in finals contention. Aryang was rewarded with player of the match honours.
Fever’s goal attack Alice Teague-Neeld worked hard all day (35 feeds, 28 goal assists) as she continued to feed the ball to Fowler and also took more shots at the net as Fowler continued to be double-teamed by the Swifts.
Captain Courtney Bruce also performed well, despite copping a backhand to her right eye, which could have derailed her game. The goal keeper finished with nine deflections, two intercepts and five gains.
It was a fight to the end for Fever. The Perth side took a few minutes to find their groove and by halfway through the first quarter Fever were back to playing their brand of netball as they took the lead for the first time in the game. Fever maintained close contact with Swifts 15-17, despite goal shooter Sam Wallace hitting the Suncorp Super Shot twice for the quarter.
Fever continued to fight their way through, closing a three-goal margin before Swifts took control of the 2-point shot and extended their lead to seven goals at half time.
Fever Coach Stacey Marinkovich changed her mid-court and defence around after halftime and it paid off as Sunday Aryang was brought on at goal defence, while Stacey Francis moved to wing defence, Jess Anstiss to centre and Verity Charles to wing attack.
Aryang starred in the third quarter, creating some big moments as Fever clawed back from nine goals down to even the score 48 all at three-quarter time. Aryang deflected a crucial ball in the mid-court which saw Teague-Neeld convert a super shot. She was then involved in an intercept which saw Fowler’s goal even the scores.
Fever edged forward in the fourth as both sides went goal for goal. Swifts went back to double-teaming Fever, which resulted in a Swifts intercept, but they didn’t get far down the court before Aryang intercepted on two occasions in the mid-court resulting in goals to Fever.
In Fowler’s 100th League game the star goal shooter hit another milestone, scoring her 5000th League goal.
