This game was the last time these two Victorian teams would meet, and it was a fitting contest for the occasion. The Collingwood Magpies left it all on the court, leading for the majority of the game, but it was the Melbourne Vixens who got ahead in the end.
It was a low scoring first quarter, neither team able to pull away. But it was the underdogs who finished the quarter up by four goals. The Magpies dominated in defence, working hard to flood the midcourt and prevent the Vixens from their classic game - quick passes into a score. In the goal circle, Jodi-Ann Ward was doing plenty, she had two intercepts and two deflections in the first quarter.
Mentor and Ward were a deadly defensive combo.Down the other end, despite holding the lead, they weren’t quite as effective, the Vixens applying plenty of pressure back – the likes of Kate Eddy in WD, her tall stature providing a harder task for the feed into the goalers. In saying that, when they did get the ball in, they could count on their shooters to make the shot, both Shimona Nelson and Sophie Garbin shooting at 100%.
The Vixens are known for their poor form in second quarters, only having won the two the entire season, and the Magpies took full advantage. They were able to get the lead out to nine at one point, but the Vixens weren’t giving up. Emily Mannix doing the absolute most to stop Nelson and any 50/50 ball she claimed as hers.
Geeva Mentor was similarly in for a fight, she had the Vixens in two minds on their feeds and wasn’t holding back in terms of physicality, her and Kiera Austin clashing on multiple occasions.
Hannah Mundy was subbed in late for Liz Watson, but her presence wasn’t enough to turn the game – the Magpies would lead by six at the half time break.
The Magpies created their own momentum, playing with a lot of freedom and not letting fear hold them back on their passes or attempts to win the ball. However, it was the Vixens who started to pick up their game, they drew the lead back to 3, prompting the Magpies to call a time out.
The Vixens' experience prevailing.The Magpies remained in the lead, but as the power five siren sounded, things began to heat up. Austin ultimately taking the super shot to level the game. Less than 30 seconds later, she copped another hard hit, this time from Ward in a midcourt contest, she then left the court immediately.
With only a minute left, Mwai Kumwenda looked to step as the Vixens ended the third quarter up by one goal.
It wasn’t the dream start for the Magpies, the margin grew to four goals, and their star center Molly Jovic went off with an injury.
Austin managed to come back on court, a timely reappearance considering the game was tight and going goal for goal.
In the end, it was all Vixens. Despite some last-minute subs from the Magpies, they just couldn’t add scoreboard pressure, and their veteran opponents could. The Vixens ultimately winning by 9 goals.
It was an important win for the Vixens with finals only a couple of weeks away.