The Mavericks set out to take on the NSW Swifts at John Cain Arena, an exceptionally difficult task, but one the regenerated side were ready to take.
The crowd was out of this world, bringing the intensity and support for the players out on the court, and with the Mavs desperate for their first home win, the support from the Trailblazers did not go unnoticed.
Q1: 17-15, Mavs lead
The Melbourne Mavericks brought the heat in the first quarter, competing like a completely new team. Their player to player connection was unmatched, with the likes of Parmenter and Jovic, Nankivell all joining their forces of speed and netball IQ to take control of the game. Nankivell came out with an early intercept, saving the Mavs from allowing the Swifts to start an early lead.
The Mavericks were first to every loose ball, maximising their chances at a lead. Although Housby’s super shot count sat at two, bringing the game to 10 a piece, Gabrielle Sinclair returned with two for her side, and Cardwell sprinkled one more to the Mavs count. Unstoppable on the rebound was Shimona Jok, up against the intense Sarah Klau and Teigan O’Shannassy.
Not only was our goal side strong, our defensive unit proved unstoppable. Jovic provided relentless pressure on Gorman Brown, whilst Jenner was having the game of her life, collecting deflection after deflection, and even scored an intercept in the dying seconds of the quarter.
The Mavs came away leading the game 17-15.
Q2: 30-31, Mavs down
Coming out of the quarter-time break, the Mavs shifted Jok to GS, moving Sinclair out to GA. An early intercept from Parmenter set the tone for the quarter, as Jenner took her second intercept for the game, and Lewis came in with three deflections. The vision from Sinclair to Jok was unmatched and saw the Mavs take the game out to a five-goal lead. Once again, the Mavericks were first to every loose ball, snapping them up and creating quick and concise conversions for the team. However, leading into the power five, the Swifts stole the momentum. Sarah Klau on the hunt saw her steal an intercept from Jok, and with Fawns and Housby shooting exceptionally, the Mavs had some work to do.
Manu’a on the court saw herself gain two deflections, and the home team were able to take the scoreline out to seven goals ahead of their opposition, however, the sharp shooting of Helen Housby and the connection between Paige Hadley, Gorman-Brown and Fawn proved too strong for the team this quarter, allowing the Swifts to steal the lead by one goal.
Q3: 52 - 43, Mavs lead.
The third quarter was one for the history books! Kim Jenner set the court alight with her two deflections and incredible pressure, shutting down Helen Housby. Nankivell took a tumble that saw her exit the court, allowing Tayla Fraser to make her mark. Jok fell out of court, giving the umpire a hug in the process! Amidst the chaos, however, the Mavericks were able to make quick conversions from their intercepts and at centre passes, allowing their bench and Trailblazers around the stadium to be even more up and about than in the first half.
The conclusion of the third quarter saw the Mavericks steal back the lead, 52- 43.
Q4: 64 - 58, Mavs win!
The fourth and final quarter saw the Mavericks lift to new heights. Continuing to win ball, primarily under the likes of Amy Parmenter who racked up five intercepts for the game, the team chipped away at the one pointers to extend their lead. Finding Jok perfectly, the vibes on the court were at an all time high, with the smell of a win getting stronger and stronger. A dwindling Swift side attempted to be lifted by Helen Housby coming in with two super shots, however, the Mavericks were up by 10 goals with three minutes to go.
As the final siren rang, the crowd erupted and practically lifted the roof off of John Cain Arena! What a momentous occasion it was for the team in their first season of SSN, to come away with their first home game win!
No doubt the Mavs will take this confidence and momentum into their Melbourne derby next round against the Melbourne Vixens.
STATS TO REMEMBER:
- Molly Jovic had 39 feeds
- Kim Jenner collected ten deflections, two intercepts and eight gains
- All goalers shot at over 80% accuracy
- Amy Parmenter came away with a whopping, five intercepts
Tune into the Mavericks’ game next Mon June 10, 1:00 pm AEST, John Cain Arena.
