Phoenix win thriller against Swifts

CBT Major Semi Final 2005

The Wollongong Entertainment Centre played host to some thrilling netball on Friday night, as the Sydney Swifts hosted the Melbourne Phoenix in the major semi final of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.

The match was tightly contested for the entire duration, with neither team able to establish a significant lead. Eventually, it was the poise and composure of the Phoenix attacking line which resulted in a 49-47 victory for the Melbourne team, and gave them the right to host the Grand final in two weeks time.

Both teams started the game nervously, with Phoenix looking the better team in the opening stages of the game. A few nervous mistakes from the Swifts resulted in a 6-1 lead for Phoenix, with the visitors quick to punish the home team for any misunderstandings in the forward line.

A timeout by Swifts GA Megan Anderson saw the Swifts regroup, and come back out with a vengeance. Swifts captain Liz Ellis was brilliant in defence, displaying lightning reflexes, and inspiring her team with brilliant intercepts and deflections. Fellow defender Alison Broadbent was tireless against Phoenix shooter Sharelle McMahon, with a heated battle taking place between the two, and neither player willing to give the other an inch.

The Swifts went on to win the remainder of the quarter 11-4, and went to the quarter time break leading 12-10.

The second quarter saw the Swifts continue their good form, with shooter Catherine Cox finding her momentum, and revelling in the aerial passes her feeders were sending her. Buoyed by a brilliant patch of attacking play, the home team blew the lead out to eight goals midway through the quarter, however their momentum was halted when Broadbent injured her knee.

The injury wasn't enough to stop Broadbent, however it was enough to stop the dominant run of the Swifts, with the Pheonix hauling the lead in. McMahon and fellow shooter Eloise Southby Halbish lifted a notch, with McMahon starting to find some space on Broadbent, and making some furious drives into the circle. The visitors managed to bring the margin to three goals by the end of the quarter, with the scoreline reading 26-23 in favour of the Swifts at half time.

The third quarter saw the Swifts make positional changes, with shooters Cox and Anderson swapping these positions. This move was largely unsuccessful for the home team, with much of the rhythm disappearing from their attacking line. A lack of fluency in the Swifts midcourt was taken advantage of by the Phoenix, with WD Natasha Chokjlat having an outstanding quarter, gaining many valuable deflections and tips. Phoenix defender Johannah Curran took advantage of some sloppy shooting by Cox and Anderson, pouncing on any rebounds that came her way.

McMahon continued her fast drives into the circle, but she wasn't having things all her own way, with Ellis displaying great timing, and disrupting many of her attempts at goal. While McMahon was looking tentative with her shooting, Southby Halbish displayed her poise under pressure, by stepping up and taking on a large portion of the shooting responsibility. An injury time out saw Cox and Anderson return to their traditional positions, however the Swifts forward line still lacked the fluency and confidence which had been on display in the first half. At 3/4 time the scores were tied at 37 - 37.

The final quarter was a frantic encounter, with every mistake proving crucial. Both teams went goal for goal, and it became clear that the clock would play an integral part in the outcome of the match, with timing being everything. The Swifts gained a slight advantage in the early part of the quarter, with the Swifts capitalising on an intercept by Sarah Barret against the Phoenix centre, and then proceeding to score off their own centre pass.

After the game ran goal for goal for a few minutes, the Swifts threw away their centre pass, with an interception by Ingrid Dick resulting in a Phoenix goal. The Phoenix attacking line was rock solid under pressure, with McMahon and Southby Halbish shooting with composure and confidence. Mistakes in the Phoenix forward line were few and far between, but the Swifts defenders refused to give up, with Broadbent and Ellis throwing themselves into every contest.

A contact call against McMahon gave the Swifts a chance to get themselves back into the game, however this was matched by a contact call against Cox down the other end. The Swifts had one last chance to equalise in the final minute, however Curran had other ideas, displaying lightning reflexes to pull in a match winning intercept for the Phoenix. Her intercept was rewarded by a goal by the Phoenix shooters, who then proceeded to score off their centre pass, and take the game 49 - 47.

Catherine Cox top scored for the game, shooting 34 goals, however her conversion rate of 77% was well below her season average of 88%. Eloise Southby was the most accurate on court, shooting 25/28 - 89%, and not missing any of her six attempts in the crucial final quarter.

The Swifts defence was fantastic for the entire match, at many times managing to disrupt the trademark flair and speed of the Phoenix attacking end. However the experience and composure of Southby Halbish and McMahon shone through in the end, with both players proving to be rock solid in a pressure situation. Curran was also a standout for her team, creating many opportunities for the Phoenix through her numerous intercepts, deflections, and rebounds.

Although they ended the game on the wrong side of the scoreline, the Swifts were a much improved team from the previous two weeks, and still look like having a genuine chance at defending their title. At the moment though, Phoenix are the team to beat, with the Melbourne team having two weeks off to fine tune their skills, before they host the Grand Final on the 3rd of September.

The Swifts will play host to the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Thursday night at the Sydney Superdome, with the sudden death battle determining which team will face Phoenix in the Grand final.

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