West Coast Fever scored their highest score in Suncorp Super Netball history as they wiped Sunshine Coast Lightning off the court with an 80-56 win at Nissan Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Fever continued to set new records, with their highest margin win of 24 goals in the competition, as the success continues for West Coast Fever and Head Coach Stacey Marinkovich with their second win in a row which sees them back into the top 4.
Yesterday, Marinkovich was named as the Australian Diamonds Head Coach and she will remain as Fever Head Coach for this season and next. The team were determined to show their support for the new Aussie coach by putting in one of their best performances this season.
“We just wanted to back her (Marinkovich) and show her that everything she is doing is paying off and we’re with her right there.” Verity Charles said.
From the first whistle Fever dominated the game and dictated the play from both ends of the court. Jhaniele Fowler was unstoppable, she put on a masterclass performance, scoring her 2000th Suncorp Super Netball goal along the way to a total of 57 goals for the game. For the first time this season Marinkovich rested her star shooter with nine minutes left in the game.
“We were very prepared; we came out and played a full 60 (minutes) today.” Fowler said.
Mid-courters Charles and Ingrid Colyer set the pace of the game and were crucial in driving the ball quicky to Fowler. Both copped some friendly fire in the second half, but it wasn’t a deterrent as Charles finished with 41 feeds and 27 goal assists and Colyer 24 feeds and 18 goal assists.
Charles said the win was just what the team needed after being away from home for over four weeks.
“It’s huge, we’ve put so much into it, but the girls to have that little confidence boost and actually show how good we can actually be, it’s just massive.” Charles said.
Fever started strong dictating most of the first quarter to lead by as much as nine goals, before the Rebel Power 5 came into effect where Sunshine Coast Lightning clawed their way back through goal attack Steph Wood who scored three super shots including one just before the buzzer as Fever took a 20-17 lead.
But that was as close as Fever allowed their rivals to get, Fever wiped Lightning off the court in the second quarter with a 24-8 performance. Goal attack Alice Teague-Neeld joined in on the Fever party with two superb super shots. Teague-Neeld continued to get involved on the scoreboard finishing the game with 13 goals including three super shots.
Fowler full of praise for Teague-Neeld, “Al did a really good job in allowing me to be one on one in the circle because you know defenders tend to double up, but make sure her defender was busy and it’s amazing how we both complement each other on court and we know what to do.”
Down the other end of the court, Captain Courtney Bruce stepped up her defensive pressure against goal shooter Cara Koenen, before she was subbed off for Peace Proscovia. Bruce finished with three intercepts, three deflections and four rebounds and Stacey Francis (five rebounds and two deflections) was a strong support in goal defence. Fever’s lead blew out to 19 goals at halftime.
Fever were still not done, they put on their best third quarter performance and extended their lead out to 27 goals.
Marinkovich opted to rest some of her star players in the last quarter, and for the first time this season saw Teague-Neeld move into goal shooter and Kaylia Stanton in goal attack. Bruce also sat out as Olivia Lewis slotted seamlessly into the goal keeper role.
