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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."
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Koenen stars as Lightning thrash struggling Giants
Sunshine Coast Lightning have brought the Giants crashing back to earth, with star goal shooter Cara Koenen producing a career-best display in a 74-56 Super Netball win at UniSC Arena. Koenen scored a career-high 56 goals from 62 attempts in Sunday's match to help lead her team to the comprehensive victory. The Giants committed a whopping 25 turnovers - including 10 alone from goal attack Sophie Dwyer - as the Lightning made them pay. It was 62-40 by three-quarter time before the Lightning eased up in the final quarter. The result improved Sunshine Coast's record to 3-2, while the Giants are 1-4 and equal bottom of the ladder alongside the Melbourne Mavericks. The tip and the back up 🔥Watch every game live on Kayo Sports, Foxtel and Binge. — Suncorp Super Netball (@SuperNetball) May 11, 2025 Sunday's result was all the more disappointing for the Giants given they had upset defending champions Adelaide 64-63 a week earlier. "We had a disappointing loss last week in the West (against the Fever). I'm proud of what we put out on court today," Koenen told Fox Sports. "It (the win) was all down to work rate. There were repeated efforts every time. "Our defensive end has been doing an amazing job, so we (the attackers) are just looking to convert on our end." After a relatively even first quarter, the Giants went to the first break only down by three goals. The Lightning's lead stretched to nine by half-time, but it was the third quarter that really broke the Giants' spirit. Buoyed by Koenen's hot hand, the Lightning won the quarter 23-10 to put the contest to bed. Giants shooter Matisse Letherbarrow ended the match with six Super Shots to her name from eight attempts in an impressive display. But the Giants' numerous turnovers meant no amount of hot shooting could save them.
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Boomers cut Tall Blacks down to size
Basketball: The Boomers have clinched the inaugural Trans-Tasman Throwdown with an emphatic 92-67 win over New Zealand at a sold-out UniSC Arena.
