a day ago
Fever locks in Super Netball finals spot with eighth straight win
West Coast Fever have locked in a Super Netball finals berth for the sixth consecutive year, after their 69-63 Round 10 victory over a feisty Melbourne Mavericks.
Fever have now won eight straight and with an excellent goal percentage, this means that even if they drop their remaining four games there is no mathematical chance of them falling out of the top four.
The reverse is true for the Mavericks, with finals now completely out of reach after another horrific year battling injuries.
With rostered player Lauren Parkinson yet to play a game after an ACL injury sustained before the season even started last year, and Eleanor Cardwell still missing after knee surgery, it's been a cruel introduction for the league's newest team.
With Parkinson still out of action, Mavericks rookie goal keeper Jessie Grenvold got the start to add height in their defensive circle.
However, the youngster was no match for experienced Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard who opened scoring for Fever less than ten seconds from the starting whistle.
By the end of the match, Fowler-Nembhard piled on 57 from 58.
Mavericks defenders were working overtime to get their hands to the ball and by mid-way through the second term they were leading deflections 8-0.
Unfortunately not enough of those touches converted on the scoreboard as Fever pushed their advantage to lead by 11 at halftime.
Training partner, Uneeq Palavi saw her first minutes of the game in the second term.
The Tongan shooter sits fifth in the league for super shots so was given a simple task: lessen the score differential.
The change was made again in the third and fourth terms with Palavi and shooting partner Sasha Glasgow creating a lively change up that Fever defenders had trouble containing.
Collectively, they nailed nine from 13 attempts from long range but it was all for nought as Fever ground out the game to win by six, despite tinkering with their usual lineup.
'She is an ice queen,' said Mavericks captain Amy Parmenter of Palavi.
'She has such a big future and I love how she takes it on and embraces it.'
With time running out to impress the national selectors, the battle between Parmenter and influential wing attack Alice Teague-Neeld, took on extra spice.
Both players are on the fringe of selection, and have been in excellent form for their respective sides.
Teague-Neeld had the best of the match-up, finishing with 33 feeds as she gave her shooting circle impeccable service in an MVP performance.
Meanwhile, Parmenter was one of the most penalised on court for just one gain.
'That game of netball was more fun than some of the ones we have played over the last few weeks,' Parmenter said.
'I saw some fire and some big moments.
'But, I think our biggest headache at the moment is we go into help mode and we aren't brave and don't give the ball like we do at training every week.'
JAMAICAN JUGGERNAUTS
Despite not playing the first two rounds, Fever's Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has rocketed up the leader board of the league's most potent shooters.
She sits second in the league for total goals this season (sinking 430) and first to accuracy (97%).
The Mavericks' Shimona Jok sits third for total goals (405) and second for accuracy (95%).
Netball continues to raise awareness of the impact of domestic and family violence, with the Mavericks inaugural Orange Game.
Craig Hutchison, CEO of SEN which owns the Mavericks, said it was 'a powerful reminder of the role sport can play in driving social change'.
The initiative follows the Australian Netball Players Association drive for change, and Diamond Cara Koenen's revelation that like one in four women, she's experienced sexual assault.
