Three home games brings three wins

Monday, May 7, 2012

Match Statistics

The NSW Swifts hung on for a 39-36 win over the Haier Pulse at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre on Sunday in round six of the ANZ Championship.

After leading by nine goals at halftime the Swifts made a slow start to the third quarter, allowing the Pulse to get within one goal in a nail-biting final quarter.

NSW Swifts Head Coach Lisa Beehag was happy to get the win but said the team needed to address the second half.

“We played a really good first half of netball and then our second half was not what we wanted to carry on with so we’ll go back and have a good look at what happened,” Beehag said.

Instrumental in breaking open the Pulse’s zone defence in the first half was Kristy Guthrie, getting her first start of season 2012 with Kimberlee Green sidelined with a foot injury.

“She was excellent. She really stepped up for us and did a great job,” Beehag said.

The Swifts defence was strong in the opening quarter. The home team was handling the Kiwi zone defence well and with Susan Pratley shooting 8/8 in the quarter, the Swifts held a 13-9 advantage at the first break.

It was an impressive defensive display from the Swifts in the second quarter, restricting the Pulse to only six goals to lead 24-15 at halftime.

The momentum see-sawed in the third quarter as new personnel from both teams settled into the game. The Pulse were first to take charge, getting back within six goals before the Swifts rallied. Pulse shooter Caitlin Thwaites injected herself into the game and led the Pulse to within five goals of the Swifts with one quarter to play, 32-27.

The Pulse continued to come at the Swifts in the final quarter. Holding on to a one-goal lead with three minutes to play, an umpire’s timeout allowed the Swifts to regroup; Beehag’s message to the team was to stop standing still.

“We need to get the movement coming again, we need to get the ball moving again and just dig deep for these last three minutes,” Beehag said.

The Swifts steadied in the final minutes to seal victory by three goals, 39-36.

The Swifts are back in action next week when they host the Melbourne Vixens at Allphones Arena in a Mother’s Day blockbuster – get tickets.

Starting Lineups:
NSW Swifts Haier Pulse
GS Susan Pratley Caitlin Thwaites
GA Amorette Wild Paula Griffin
WA Vanessa Ware Ngarama Milner-Olsen
C Kristy Guthrie Camilla Lees
WD Samantha May Joline Henry
GD Mo’onia Gerrard Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit
GK April Letton Katrina Grant

Changes:
NSW Swifts
3Q: Kimberly Borger (GS), Carla Dziwoki (GA), Sonia Mkoloma (GD)
4Q: Pratley (GS), Wild (GA), Paige Hadley (WA), Ware (C), Jo Sutton (WD), Gerrard (GD)

Haier Pulse:
2Q timeout: Jamilah Gupwell (GA)
3Q: Daya Wiffen (C), Lees (WA)
4Q: Katarina Cooper (WA), Lees (C)