A powerful second half has launched the Melbourne Vixens to a 60-56 Super Netball win over Sunshine Coast Lightning at John Cain Arena, and to a share of top spot with West Coast Fever.
Key points:
- Melbourne Vixens beat Sunshine Coast Lightning 60-56
- Vixens: Mwai Kumwenda shot 36/40 and Kiera Austin 18/19
- Lightning: Cara Koenen shot 40/42 and Steph Wood 10/11
The Vixens had their hands full with Lightning shooters Steph Wood and Cara Koenen but eventually found the right answers, outscoring the Lightning 29-23 after half-time in the Easter Saturday clash.
At the other end, Melbourne’s attackers Mwai Kumwenda and Kiera Austin came into their own while defenders Jo Weston and Emily Mannix’s fourth-quarter exploits were pivotal in the Vixens notching a third successive win.
“We know Lightning are a quality team and we knew they’d come out hard after their performance last week,” said Austin, who came alive after half-time to have the better of Lightning’s South African enforcer Karla Pretorius.
“It felt like a real solid effort from us, which we probably haven’t seen in a little bit.
“We’ll definitely enjoy our chocolate eggs tomorrow.”
The Lightning’s attacking combo of Wood and Koenen, curbed in last week’s landslide loss to Adelaide, were back to their brilliant connecting best.
Early on, Wood had the better of fellow Diamond Jo Weston to have a whopping 17 assists from 21 feeds by half-time.
Koenen was repeatedly the beneficiary of Wood’s expert playmaking as the visitors led 17-15 at quarter-time, a cushion they stretched to 30-23 during the second term.
Melbourne finished the half with a flurry, scoring five unanswered points inside the last minute, including Kumwenda’s super shot on the half-time bell to trim the deficit to 33-31.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis moved her magnets around in the third term and her switches paid rich dividends.
Liz Watson moved to her trademark wing attack, Kate Moloney donned the centre bib and Kate Eddy came off the bench and into defence. All three were impactful.
Austin got on a roll as Melbourne closed on a 6-1 run to take a 47-45 lead into three-quarter-time.
Austin continued to fire in the fourth, while Weston and Mannix finally solved the Wood-Koenen riddle which enabled Melbourne to sprint to the finish line.
AAP
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