Steel triumph to secure top spot
The Southern Steel have sealed top spot in the trans-Tasman netball league with a 65-56 victory over the Melbourne Vixens.
It was the Steel’s 11th win of the season and gives them an unassailable lead in the competition, meaning they will host the grand final, if they qualify.
‘‘We are honoured and very pleased, we have hard work to do, if we play our cards right and push on, hopefully the final will be here,’’ Steel goal shoot Jhaniele Fowler-Reid said.
The Steel got off to an excellent start and managed an early break in possession with a turnover as Vixens goal shoot Karyn Bailey had a nervous early miss.
The home team stretched their lead to 6-2 after four minutes, but the visitors came back strongly to reduce the gap to as little as one goal, before a late Fowler-Reid goal on the buzzer gave the hosts an 18-16 first quarter lead.
Neither Steel shooter missed during the opening stanza as the home side’s mid-court players Gina Crampton and Shannon Francois found Fowler-Reid and Te Paea Selby-Rickit with relative ease.
Into the second quarter the game became more physical as the Vixens starting putting increased pressure on the Steel attack, with Fowler-Reid taking a knock at one stage.
‘‘Yes it was a bit physical, it was good to have it as we know we are going to have a few of those games coming up,’’ she said.
A flurry of turnovers midway through the second quarter saw the visitors reduce the lead back to one as the teams went goal for goal.
Vixens mid-courters Madi Robinson and Liz Watson started finding their shooter Bailey before she left the court, Alice TeagueNeeld and replacement shooter Kimberly Commane.
The home side then started changing their attacking structure late in the quarter as Fowler-Reid and Selby-Rickit dealt with the pressure exerted by Jo Weston and Geva Mentor and managed to stretch their one-goal lead to four at halftime, 33-29.
‘‘We couldn’t let them figure out what we were doing. We couldn’t just have one play, they would figure it out and counter it, we had to change,’’ Fowler-Reid said.
In the third quarter the home side started to dominate proceedings and stretched their lead to 10 points midway through the stanza.
The visitors then sent 1.97m shooter Emma Ryde into the game to change their fortunes.
Her presence under the hoop helped the Vixens reduce the lead to seven goals as she gathered three rebounds in a short space of time.
But the Steel took a 47-40 lead into the final quarter and continued to extend their advantage.
Fowler-Reid finished one goal short of a half century for the hosts with 49/54 and was supported by Te Paea Selby-Rickit with 16/19, 18 goal assists and 34 feeds into the circle. Steel (Fowler-Reid 49/54, Selby-Rickit 16/19), Vixens (Teague-Neeld 23/27, Ryde 16/23, Bailey 13/15, Commane 4/5). Q1: 18-16, Q2: 33-29, Q3: 47-40.