Giants rally to overtake Swifts

ATTACKING duo Jo Harten ( pictured) and Susan Pettitt have hoisted the Giants to a come-from-behind 59-56 win over local rivals the Swifts to consolidate their place atop the Super Netball ladder.

In a gripping finale to last night’s round seven Sydney derby at Olympic Park, the Giants turned a six-goal deficit nearing three-quarter-time into a 50-49 lead with seven minutes remaining.

The Swifts rallied to pinch the lead in each of the opening two quarters but ran out of answers against the experienced Giants, who made the big mo- ments count late in the match to earn a 17-10 deciding term.

Swifts midcourt dynamo Paige Hadley won player of the match but it was the combination of England international Harten and Pettitt, who scored the Giants’ 59 goals at above 95 per cent accuracy.

Swifts sharpshooter Sam Wallace made 35 goals from 37 shots. The Swifts trailed by four goals early but rallied to a 16-13 lead, with Wallace sinking 12 goals from 12 shots, and held a 31-30 lead at halftime.

Wallace continued her perfect record in the second quarter, making it 19 from 19 but the Giants then surged ahead thanks to a five-goal uninterrupted spree from Harten.

She scored 15 goals for the quarter but the Swifts’ desperation helped them hold on to a narrow advantage.

They extended their lead to 39-35 early in the third quarter, prompting Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald to replace wing attack Taylah Davies with the experienced Sarah Wall, who was added to the squad as a replacement for injured skipper Kim Green.