SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 16: Chelsea Pitman of the Thunderbirds in action during the round four Super Netball match between the Melbourne Vixens and the Adelaide Thunderbirds at University of Sunshine Coast Stadium on August 16, 2020 in Sunshine Coast, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Vitality Roses Layla Guscoth, Chelsea Pitman and Kate Shimmin (Adelaide Thunderbirds) snatched a record breaking win against Melbourne Vixens, Jo Harten (GIANTS Netball) was held to a 61-61 draw and Stacey Francis’ West Coast Fever pipped Geva Mentor’s Collingwood Magpies to the post 62-63 in Round 4 of Super Netball.
Collingwood Magpies 62-63 West Coast Fever
Vitality Roses involved: Geva Mentor (Collingwood Magpies) and Stacey Francis (West Coast Fever)
Stacey Francis’ West Coast Fever held on to win by one point over a fast finishing Collingwood Magpies in the first game of Round 4.
It was a frantic start to the game with Fever scoring 21 in the first quarter, to Collingwoods 11. After the first break Collingwood turned the tables and won the remaining three quarters.
In a thrilling finish, Magpies goal attack Gabrielle Sinclair had a chance to level the scores with a Super Shot inside the last minute but, despite being lethal from any range during the game, was unable to deliver a levelling goal.
Vitality Rose and Magpies co-captain Mentor played at goal keeper and registered four gains and two intercepts. Fellow Vitality Rose Francis played at wing defence and registered two gains and two intercepts.
The victory consolidated the Fever’s place in the top four.
Score breakdown
Q1: Magpies 11-21 Fever
Q2: Magpies 18-16 Fever
Q3: Magpies 18-14 Fever
Q4: Magpies 15-12 Fever
Queensland Firebirds 61-61 GIANTS Netball
Vitality Roses involved: Jo Harten (GIANTS Netball)
The Queensland Firebirds and Jo Harten’s GIANTS Netball played out a thrilling Round 4 draw, the first drawn match of the season.
The game swung continuously between the two teams with each having a spell out in front. GIANTS started the game looking like the match winners, getting ahead by four at the first break.
The Firebirds showed fight, coming back strongly in the second quarter and by half-time the score was 31-29.
It all came down to the final quarter and Harten was unlucky not to get the match winner with her shot from range hitting the rim and bouncing out in the dying seconds.
Score breakdown
Q1: Firebirds 14-18 GIANTS
Q2: Firebirds 17-11 GIANTS
Q3: Firebirds 13-18 GIANTS
Q4: Firebirds 17-14 GIANTS
Vitality Roses shooting stats
Jo Harten – G1 – 6/7 (87%); G2 – 5/11 (46%)
G1 = shots during normal play | G2 = Super Shots taken
Sunshine Coast Lightning 65-58 NSW Swifts
Vitality Roses involved: Helen Housby, Natalie Haythornthwaite (both NSW Swifts)
The Sunshine Coast Lightning ended NSW Swifts’ unbeaten start to the Suncorp Super Netball season with a 65-58 win.
The defending champions, NSW Swifts came into the clash riding high on a three-game win streak but Sunshine Coast extracted revenge on the team that denied them a third-straight premiership in the 2019 decider.
Lightning put their slow starts behind them to win their first opening quarter for the season, Laura Langman leading from the front with 11 feeds and six assists for the 17-14 advantage.
The Swifts rallied in the second quarter with Vitality Rose Haythornthwaite plugging away in attack but they were unable to inch in front. The Roses star recorded 17 feeds and nine assists in the game.
Sunshine Coast held a 29-26 lead at halftime before making their move in the third quarter, outscoring the Swifts 8-3 in the rebel Power Five period to build a 10-goal advantage.
NSW were dealt a blow when Helen Housby left the court early in the third quarter after colliding with teammate Maddy Proud. Housby came back into the contest during the rebel Power Five periods to finish with six Suncorp Super Shots, but the steady play of the Lightning won the day despite a 9-1 edge in two-point goals to the Swifts.
The Swifts made a late charge in the fourth quarter but it was not enough to prevent the Lightning from moving above them into second spot on the ladder on percentage.
Score breakdown
Q1: Lightning 17-14 Swifts
Q2: Lightning 12-12 Swifts
Q3: Lightning 21-14 Swifts
Q4: Lightning 15-18 Swifts
Vitality Roses shooting stats
Helen Housby – G1 – 2/3 (67%); G2 – 6/10 (60%)
G1 = shots during normal play | G2 = Super Shots taken
Melbourne Vixens 47-54 Adelaide Thunderbirds
Vitality Roses involved: Chelsea Pitman, Kate Shimmin and Layla Guscoth (all three Adelaide Thunderbirds)
The Adelaide Thunderbirds roared home in the fourth quarter at USC Stadium to break through for their maiden win over the Vixens in Super Netball.
Vitality Rose Guscoth made her first start for the club since returning from injury and was a key part of the defensive effort from the Thunderbirds.
Coming off a 15-goal defeat to the NSW Swifts, the Thunderbirds applied relentless pressure to their highly-fancied opponents from the outset as they held the Vixens to their lowest scoring quarter for the season in the first period.
Melbourne still held an 11-10 lead heading into the second quarter and extended their advantage to five but Adelaide clawed their way back in the Power Five period.
The Thunderbirds refused to go away in the third term with Vitality Rose Pitman providing plenty of feeds to the Adelaide shooters. Rookie goal attack Georgie Horjus sunk a super shot to put her side up by three goals approaching the end of the quarter.
With their unbeaten record on the line, Melbourne tried valiantly to find a way through Adelaide’s rock-solid defence but the underdogs would not be denied, 18-year-old Horjus keeping her cool with some clutch shooting from two-point range to seal a memorable victory.
Score breakdown
Q1: Melbourne Vixens 11-10 Swifts
Q2: Melbourne Vixens 12-12 Swifts
Q3: Melbourne Vixens 14-13 Swifts
Q4: Melbourne Vixens 10-19 Swifts
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