Blog: Suncorp Team Girls Cup day two

EVENING SESSION

Thunderbirds through to final

9.55pm February 25

The Adelaide Thunderbirds are through to the Suncorp Team Girls Cup grand final after a convincing win against the GIANTS (39-31).

One of the key talking points was the Thunderbird's ability to keep the GIANTS to just 10 goals for the entire second half.

Matilda Garrett kept busy in the defensive end. She had nine gains for the match.

Lucy Austin and Tippah Dwan also shot superbly. Austin in particular shot at 91 per cent (21/23).

The Thunderbirds will now meet the Fever in tomorrow's final.

Firebirds upset Vixens

8.55pm, February 25

The Queensland Firebirds have caused the upset of the weekend, defeating the Melbourne Vixens 43-40.

The Firebirds stuck with the Vixens for the first three quarters before breaking away to win the last term by five goals.

Mia Stower had a day out, scoring 12/18 which included the Super Shot which made it all but impossible for the Vixens to comeback.

The Firebirds had gone into the game off the back of two tough losses, but regained their for to notch their first win.

Ruby Bakewell-Doran and Remi Kamo were also impressive in defence. They combined for six intercepts and three deflections.

Lightning notch first win

8pm, February 25

The Sunshine Coast Lightning have registered their first win of the Suncorp Team Girls Cup, defeating the NSW Swifts 46-41.

It was a game of shifting momentum but the Lightning managed to get it together in the last quarter to run out victors.

Kadie-Ann Dehaney put out one of her best performances ever. She had a whopping seven deflections and an intercept.

Charlie Bell also has a brilliant game under the post, finishing with 28 from 31 attempts.

Maddy Proud was one of the Swifts' bests. She had 20 feeds, and also applied defensive pressure resulting in two intercepts and a deflection.

Fever crush depleted Magpies

6.55pm, February 25

The West Coast Fever have defeated a depleted Collingwood Magpies by 10-goals (53-43).

The Magpies are without four key players in Geva Mentor, Kelsey Browne, Molly Jovic and Sophie Garbin.

While the Fever have been able to field a full strength side and it showed on Saturday evening.

Though, there were some shining lights for the Pies. Maddie Hinchliffe had another ripper in the wing defence bib, collecting two deflections and an intercept.

Her teammates Shimona Nelson was also a force under the post but it wasn't enough to rattle the Fever who looked in charge for the entire match.

Courtney Bruce was once again proving why she is one of the best goal keepers in the world. She finished with five gains - two of which were intercepts.

Magpies and Fever open session two

6.30pm, February 25

The second session of the day is underway at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre and its the West Coast Fever who have taken a narrow lead (25-21) into the half time spell.

Courtney Bruce went hunting and had four gains out at goal attack.

For the Pies it was Ash Brazill with 12 feeds in the centre big for the half.

AFTERNOON SESSION

GIANTS make light work of Firebirds

3.55pm, February 25

The GIANTS have put on a Saturday afternoon clinic, making light work of the Firebirds (48-37).

They looked slick right from the first whistle thanks to the hot hands of shooting duo Sophie Dwyer and Matisse Letherbarrow.

We saw lots of different combinations on court from both sides which is what the pre-season tournament is all about.

One of those combinations was the Sligar twins in wing attack and centre.

But a standout for the match was Sophie Dwyer out at goal attack who finished with 15/16 and 14 feeds.

A highlight for the Firebirds was that they did win the last quarter. Perhaps they can take that momentum into the rest of the tournament.

That brings the Saturday afternoon session to an end. We will be back in a couple of hours for the evening slot. Plenty more netball to come.

Thunderbirds log second win

3pm, February 25

The Adelaide Thunderbirds have gone two from two after another thriller on the Gold Coast, defeating the Vixens (34-33).

It was the Vixens' pressure down the court that got the better of the Thunderbirds in the first half, forcing them into a dozen turnovers - Vixens then capitalised off 100 percent of their opponents' turnovers.

The chemistry between Hannah Mundy in wing attack and Kiera Austin in goal attack was electric.

While the Matilda Garrett at goal defence, and Latanya Wilson at wing defence worked well. 

The margin remained slim for much of the match until Rahni Samason slotted three Super Shots in a row in the third to stretch the lead.

In the final term the Vixens maintained the lead, but only just.

Scores were level with less than 30 seconds to go before Lucy Austin slotted the match winner for the Thunderbirds. 

Fever bounce back in a big way

1.55pm, February 25

The West Coast Fever have bounced back after losing their first match of the tournament.

The Fever ran out victors over the Sunshine Coast Lightning (46-43) at Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Sasha Glasgow was a steady hand under the post during the first half while Sunday Aryang also racked up a number of gains for her side while in the wing defence bib before switching into goal defence.

Lightning's Annie Miller looked effortless in in wing attack during the second half, working the ball down the court beautifully. 

Cara Koenen combined well with Charlie Bell under the post in the third term, playing their height to advantage.

At one point there were four Australian Diamonds in the circle, but it was Courtney Bruce who really helped turn the tables in the Fever's favour.

She had two gains in the last term.

Fawns sinks Super Shot to clinch draw

1pm, February 25

The Collingwood Magpies have recorded their second draw (42-42) of the Suncorp Team Girls Cup after NSW Swift Sophie Fawns sunk a long bomb on the buzzer.

The Pies managed to keep their noses in front for much of the match, but the Swifts continued to bite at their heels until the dying moments of the game.

Fawns, who had had a relatively quiet fourth term, managed to stand up when it mattered.

While Pies defensive duo Jacqui Newton and Maddie Hinchliffe (at wing defence) were outstanding, pulling seven intercepts and seven deflections between them.

Proud back in the game

12.45pm, February 25

Maddy Proud has re-entered the game after copping that knock in the second quarter.

Housby and Proud benched with injury concerns

12.35pm, February 25

Helen Housby has headed straight to the bench grabbing at her calf, while Maddy Proud has also subbed herself out of the game after a nasty accidental clash with Ash Brazill. She clutched at her mouth as she left the court.

Adamson impresses in new position 

12.25pm February 25

The Collingwood Magpies and NSW Swifts opened proceedings on day two and it was the Pies who took three goal lead early in the game.

Maddie Hinchliffe made her presence at wing defence known and used her height to advantage to force a number of vital deflections in the opening minutes.

Two Suncorp Super Shots in a row from Swift Helen Housby helped reduced the margin to just one goal with minutes to play, after trailing by as much as seven at one stage.

Housby sunk another two before the quarter time siren to give the Swifts the lead for the first time in the match.

The Magpies regained control early in the second term and pushed the lead out to five at one stage.

Casey Adamson was a force to be reckoned with in the wing attack bib - not her usual position. She was an integral part of the Pies' impressive second term and had 14 feeds.

They went into the half-time break with a three goal advantage.

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