Adelaide Thunderbirds have produced a sensational second-half comeback to score a dramatic 64-62 Super Netball major semi-final extra-time win over minor premiers NSW Swifts in Sydney.
Key points:
- The Swifts led at all three breaks before Adelaide hit back to send the game to extra time
- Thunderbirds goal-attack Eleanor Cardwell shot 18 goals from 20 attempts and six of eight super shots
- The Swifts will face the winner of Sunday’s minor semi-final for a spot in the grand final
They advanced to the July 8 grand final in Melbourne, while the Swifts will host the winner of Sunday’s minor semi-final between West Coast Fever and Melbourne Vixens in the preliminary final next weekend.
Thunderbirds led 7-3 early at Qudos Bank Arena, but trailed by seven on 12 separate occasions in the second half and by five at three-quarter-time.
“What I thought we did really well was just hung in there,” Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst said.
“We took most of our chances when they presented and I thought that we looked really calm and connected out on the court in the moments that mattered.
“Going into that last five minutes I was feeling pretty confident even though there’s nothing to suggest you’re going to get over line.”
The lead changed hands several times in the fourth-quarter Power 5 period, as the teams traded Super Shots.
Romelda Aiken-George put the Swifts ahead 58-57 with, for her, a rare Super Shot goal 34 seconds from the end.
But the impressive Lucy Austin equalised right on the buzzer, after Adelaide’s Tayla Williams intercepted a wayward long pass from Maddy Turner.
“You can’t blame it on the one pass. I certainly think that there were moments in that game that our decision-making wasn’t the best, so that could have been one or two goals, so I never put it down to that last bit,” Swifts coach Briony Akle said.
“I thought we had some beautiful passages of play for three quarters. I think I we played some great netball, presented well, stuck to a game plan.
“I think the physicality got to us a little bit and we’ve got to work out a solution around that.
“We certainly forced balls that we shouldn’t force.”
Thunderbirds made 11 of their 15 Super Shot attempts, with Eleanor Cardwell nailing six of eight and Austin five of eight.
Swifts scored the first three goals of the game but Thunderbirds then piled on seven straight.
Swifts goal attack Helen Housby hit four Super Shots in the Power 5 section of the first quarter to propel her side to a 15-11 lead at quarter time.
Six successive goals either side of quarter time propelled the Swifts to an 18-11 advantage but Thunderbirds cut the deficit to two by half-time.
NSW had the first six attempts of the second half, but made only three of them, leading 44-39 at three-quarter time.
AAP