T&T’s Samantha Wallace came within two goals of the 50-goal mark as she led New South Wales Swifts to a come-from-behind win against Giants Netball 59-55 in a classic Sydney derby at Qudos Bank Arena, to close out Indigenous Round in Australia, on Sunday.
It was a thrilling match from start to finish, with the Swifts coming from four goals down in the final quarter to stun a GIANTS team that led for much of the contest.
The tone of the game was set immediately when midcourter Jamie-Lee Price met Sophie Halpin, who was starting in place for injured Swifts captain Maddy Proud, solidly, causing the first of nine first-half turnovers for the Swifts.
From then the game went into a see-saw scoring battle as both teams pushed the tempo and playing some incredibly entertaining netball.
After the first quarter ended 13-13, it was Giants which held a handy three-goal lead (30-27) at the halfway mark. But Swift, the Swifts fought their way back into the contest, taking the lead with just three minutes remaining and eventually won the quarter, 17-12, thanks to Wallace’s perfect 14 goals from 14 attempts and three from Housby to secure a massive four-goal win.
A former “Player of the Year in the England Vitality Netball League before moving to the Swifts, Wallace ended with 48 goals from 50 attempts for 95 per cent accuracy and Housby added 11 from 12 while Bassett tallied 34 from 36, and Harten, 21 from 24 for the Giants.
The victory improved the league-leading Swifts to a 7-0-1 record from eight matches and 53 points, ten clear of Sunshine Coast Lightning (6-0-2) while Melbourne Vixens are third with a 5-1-2 record and 41 points, and the Giants, fourth with 30 points and a 3-1-4 mark.
Individually, Wallace reclaimed the second spot on the most goals chart for the season with 360 goals from 393 attempts, to trail Jamaican legend Jhaniele Fowler of West Coast Fever who has 415 goals from 435 attempts.
Another Jamaican, Shimona Nelson of Magpies is third with 345 from 380 followed by Australian duo, Caitlin Bassett (292/327) and Vixens’ Caitlin Thwaites (280/308).
The Swifts will travel to Adelaide looking to take an eight and one record into the Netball World Cup break next weekend.