Latest news with #CourtneyBruce
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Milestone champion Courtney Bruce headlines Round 9 Super Netball team of the week
Courtney Bruce has celebrated her milestone 150th national league match with a vintage performance to push her into the team of the week for Super Netball's Code Sports round. Bruce, who has been battling back to top fitness in a frustrating year after sealing defender of the tournament honours at the 2023 World Cup, was outstanding for the Lightning, shutting down the Queensland Firebirds' chances of a derby win with her efforts on Mary Cholhok, Emily Moore and Abigail Latu-Meafou with an incredible eight gains and 13 deflections. Her former West Coast teammate Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard took honours at the other end of the court, spearheading the Fever's win over the NSW Swifts with an incredible 71-goal effort. The women often dubbed the shooting GOAT had just one miss for the evening as the Fever became the first team to beat the Swifts this season. It led to Fowler-Nembhard and centre Jordan Cransberg winning positions in the team of the week, with Diamonds captain Liz Watson, just pipping Fever wing attack Alice Teague-Neeld in her position. The Giants' gritty win over defending champions the Thunderbirds led to two of their players – goaler Sophie Dwyer and defender Erin O'Brien elbowing their way into this week's best, with the Firebirds' England midcourter Imogen Allison turning in her best performance of the season to make the side from a losing team.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Diamonds trio leads Lightning's blitz of the Firebirds
Diamonds trio Cara Koenen, Liz Watson and Courtney Bruce led the charge as Sunshine Coast Lightning blitzed Firebirds 72-62 to claim the Queensland Cup and Battle of the Bruce. Bruce, playing her 150th Super Netball game, was dynamic in the defensive circle and really proved a menace to Emily Moore and Mary Cholhok. The keeper had 12 deflections and seven gains. Watson controlled the midfield alongside Leesa Mi Mi - her workrate was second to none. The midcourter had 26 goal assists and 19 centre feed receives. While Cara Koenen didn't miss a shot all night. Firebirds tried to stay in the fight - but repeated turnovers led to their seventh consecutive loss. The two Queensland sides were fairly evenly matched in the first quarter with both teams having the lead at some point. It really amped up in the Super Shot period with Firebirds swapping out Mary Cholhok for long range shooter specialist Abigail Latu-Meafou. The move paid off with Latu-Meafou netting two of her three super shots. Lighting's defence, led by Bruce, worked hard to keep the super shooter away from the long range area. It produced a crucial turnover which led to Steph Fretwell sinking a super shot in the final seconds of the quarter to put Sunshine Coast ahead 18-17 at the first break. Firebirds defenders Ruby Bakewell-Doran and Isabelle Shearer forced Fretwell and Koenen to get creative in the second quarter - slowing the shooting rate but not halting it. The damage on the scoreboard could have been far greater were it not for Latu-Meafou netting another two super shots. But it just wasn't enough to catch up to the fast-moving Lightning side who took a 37-33 lead into half time. Lightning really hit the accelerator in the third quarter outshooting Firebirds 20-13 to take an 11 point lead into the final break. Firebirds staged a comeback in the final quarter, getting some quick goals on the board much to the delight of the 4666 strong crowd at Nissan Arena. But clawing back an 11 goal deficit in a single quarter was always going to be a big ask. Firebirds did hang on to win the final quarter 16-15 but Lightning took the game 72-62 Mi Mi means business Leesa Mi Mi was everywhere tonight - her darting runs created plenty of opportunities for the Lightning. Mi Mi had ticked the box in the gains, deflections and intercepts columns on the stat sheet. She created plenty of opportunities with 14 goal assists. The agile centre worked really well with Liz Watson - signalling what could become a key link up for the Diamonds in the near future. Firebirds need a spark The Firebirds are now on a seven game losing streak and it is going to take a lot to snap them out of it. We got a glimpse of what the Firebirds can do in the final quarter - where they staged a comeback. But they need to win more than one quarter if they want to get a win on the board. Cholhok has been a key addition under the post but the costly turnovers in the midcourt are hampering her shooting rate. They just seemed out of touch with the very clinical Lightning side. Firebirds have a tough game next week against Thunderbirds but a win would give them a massive confidence boost and could reignite their season. A few consecutive wins and other results going their way and Firebirds could still be playing finals netball.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fretwell the super shot star in lethal Lightning strike
A banged-up Courtney Bruce produced a stellar defensive effort and Steph Fretwell backed it up with a perfect shooting display as the Sunshine Coast Lightning defeated the Melbourne Mavericks 67-60. Bruce crumpled to the floor in pain with a left ankle injury and could barely put weight on it as she limped off the court in the second quarter of Saturday's Super Netball clash at UniSC Arena. The Lightning led 24-15 at the time, but Bruce's exit allowed the Mavericks to close the margin to four goals a few minutes later. Bruce was able to return near the end of the quarter, with her presence proving crucial as the Lightning blew out the lead to as much as 18 goals in the third quarter, before holding off the Mavericks' late fightback. Lightning goal shooter Cara Koenen scored 45 goals from 51 attempts in a strong effort, but it was Fretwell who was the star in the big moments. Fretwell nailed a perfect 7-of-7 super shots in a remarkable display, and also converted 7-of-7 from normal range on the way to 21 points for the match. Star Mavericks shooter Shimona Jok finished with 41 goals from 42 attempts to go with two super shots, and Uneeq Palavi made 5-of-11 super shots, but it wasn't enough. The result improved the Lightning's record to 5-3, while the Mavericks (2-6) face a monumental task to make the finals. "Last week I wasn't really happy with how I shot, probably been a bit dodgy for the past few weeks," Fretwell told Fox Sports after the match. "Shooting this week was a big part that I wanted to make sure I executed." Denied by Bruce 👊🏼 Watch every game live on Kayo Sports, Foxtel and Binge. — Suncorp Super Netball (@SuperNetball) May 31, 2025 The first quarter was a topsy-turvy affair, with the Lightning shooting out to a 7-2 lead, the Mavericks fighting back to level the scores, before Fretwell's super shots gave the home side a 18-13 lead by the first break. Bruce's injury in the second quarter resulted in a momentum shift. But when Bruce returned to the court and Fretwell nailed some more long-range bombs, the Lightning entered the halftime break with a 38-30 lead. The third quarter was one-way traffic as the Mavericks' scoring dried up and the Lightning went into overdrive, opening up a 57-41 lead by the final change. The margin was whittled down to six goals with three-and-a-half minutes left, but the Lightning were able to hold firm from there. "We are really good at coming from behind at the moment, it's one of our strengths," Mavericks centre Molly Jovic said. "When we've got nothing to lose, we go for it, and we need to work out how to do that from the first quarter."
News.com.au
04-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Team of the Week: Vixens' Hannah Mundy has capped her best outing with TOTW honours. Cast your vote
Vixens wing attack Hannah Mundy has capped her best game of the season with team of the week honours with only a split hair separating four Diamonds squad contenders at wing attack. Mundy's showing in the Vixens' Victorian derby win over the Mavericks on Sunday was outstanding, with a workhorse performance giving her a narrow points victory over Diamonds vice-captain Paige Hadley, newest Diamond Georgie Horjus and national team training invitee Alice Teague-Neeld. The competition between the quartet was typical of the competition in round 4, even within matches, with little separating the nominees for each match in a round of tight matches. Just eight goals separated the teams in Sunday's two games, while the Giants took their first win of the season on Saturday by just a goal over the Thunderbirds and only two points separated the Fever and Lightning in Perth. Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard won her second consecutive team of week nomination at goal shooter in an emotional return to RAC Arena, while the Lightning's Courtney Bruce booked Code's slot at goalkeeper after racking up six gains and 11 deflections while doing her best to contain the Jamaican great. Bruce only just won the contest in her own match, however, after Fever keeper Kadie-Ann Dehaney's match-winning intercept in the dying stages was among her six gains in Perth. Vote for your team of the week from the selections below. GA Helen Housby (Swifts) WA Hannah Mundy (Vixens) C Leesa Mi Mi (Lightning) WD Latanya Wilson (Thunderbirds) GD Jodi-Ann Ward (Giants) GK Courtney Bruce (Lightning) Originally published as Team of the Week: Vixens' Hannah Mundy has capped her best outing with TOTW honours. Cast your vote
