This was an important game for Indigenous players, Leesa Mi Mi and Donnell Wallam and they were certainly using the energy from First Nations Round to motivate them. Fired up from the beginning, they didn’t let up throughout the game.
The Vixens were coming off the back of a tough loss last week and instead of being fully charged and ready to go, they looked like a different team. In a game they would expect to win, it was the underdogs who were stepping up. Mi Mi, who is barely experienced compared to her opponent Liz Watson, did not back down and instead was more than up to the task.
Leesa Mi Mi had a spectacular game on Diamond Liz Watson.Hannah Mundy was having a game for herself, particularly early on. She finished with 28 goal assists, the most for either team and was the only consistent player for the Vixens.
Donnell Wallam was dominating in the goal circle, whether it was under the net or from two-point range – the Vixens had no answer for her. Interestingly, Diamonds player Emily Mannix remained on the bench for the majority of the first three quarters, with Olivia Lewis playing GK instead.
Even the Vixens’ attempt at a diamond defense in the goal third to prevent the ball from getting into Wallam couldn’t stop her. Finally, Mannix was subbed in. In her 100th game, she made an immediate impact.
At the other end, Kiera Austin navigated her way around the circle beautifully, especially when Mwai Kumwenda exited the circle to create more space, however, the pressure from Bakewell-Doran caused her to have a far lesser output than usual.
A super shot in the power five of the third term gave Austin a boost, she screamed down the court to grab an intercept off the center pass, before nailing another super shot to even the scoreline.
With the clock winding down, Mi Mi threw a hesitant pass into the goal circle that was picked off, however, she turned it around by getting an intercept of her own in the midcourt, allowing her team to take a one-goal lead going into the final term.
The final quarter was as tight as expected, with the Firebirds not wanting to give up their lead, and the Vixens not wanting two losses in a row.
The Vixens’ experience shone through as they stayed in the game, defenders lifting their work rate. But the Firebirds refused to relax, Remi Kamo and Bakewell-Doran with plenty of deflections between them, doing enough to prevent Kumwenda and Austin from getting comfortable.
As the clock ticked down, the Firebirds were happy to settle for one goal rather than take the super shot. A risky tactic considering Austin’s proven ability to nail the two down the line. However, it was Wallam who finished the game with a super shot – leading her team to a five-goal win in the final game of First Nations Round.
