In the closest game the Mavericks have had this season, there was nothing but pressure and passion out on the court.
Donning rainbow bibs in light of Inclusion Round, and desperate for their first win as a club, the Mavs knew there was no chance the Sunshine Coast Lightning were going down without a fight, having lost every game since opening round.
Q1: 15-13, Lightning lead
The first quarter saw the Mavericks come out strong, immediately taking hold of the game against the Lightning on their home ground. Ready to combat this, Steph Fretwell and Cara Koenen. However, Jenner and Lewis never left a ball uncontested, forcing pressure shots from the goalers.
The Mavericks’ vision into their own goal circle at the hands of Cardwell, Jovic and Nankivell was clinical, with the trio becoming more and more confident each week. The Mavs transition from turnover ball proved itself to be far more direct and trusting, allowing their playing styles to sync and to act as one.
Q2: 33-29, Lightning lead
The second quarter saw Kristiana Manu’a to the court in her return to the SSN as a Maverick! Welcomed into the team as an injury replacement for Lauren Moore, this feisty defender had been no doubt put forward to get under the skin of her opponents and lift the energy of the Mavs with her ability to force errors and keep the pressure on.
Manu’a wasn’t the only Mav bringing the heat this quarter, however, as team captain, Amy Parmenter, put Liz Watson in the pressure cooker. Contesting every ball and proving a nuisance at the centre pass, Parmenter did not drop her head for a second, highlighting herself as the captain and role model the Mavs need out on court. Taking inspiration from their on court leader, the Mavs mid-court owned the third quarter, with Molly Jovic cementing herself in the Centre position, collecting 60 Nissan net points less than halfway through the game.
Following an injury scare from Fretwell, the Lightning needed to switch gears, bringing Hinchcliffe into their defensive circle for Ervin who herself had taken three intercepts, pushing Bruce back into the Goal Keeper position. Combating such, Gabby Sinclair took to the court, slotting a super shot, having shot the long bombs at 74% accuracy this season.
Despite the Mavs finding themselves down 33-29 at the end of the first half, there were plenty of positives to reflect on, and a mountain of work to be done.
Q3: 49-46, Lightning lead
Coming out of the halftime break, the Mavs could taste victory and knew they needed to keep up the pressure if they wanted to stay in the game. The Lightning, however, had other plans, as they picked up every loose ball and forced a change in momentum, finding themselves with a seven goal advantage.
Coming to the rescue was Kim Jenner, combining with Liv Lewis to win massive rebounds, transitioning the ball down court, getting the Mavericks back within three. At the conclusion of the third term, the Mavs were down 49-46.
Q4: 64-65, Mavericks secure the win.
Hearts were pounding in the final quarter, with fans from both sides glued to the court as the two teams battled it out to boost their season. Unfortunately, the Lightning took a hit with Courtney Bruce limping from the playing area with an ankle injury, leaving Ashleigh Irvin in defence. Devastatingly, Eleanor Cardwell followed suit, going down too clutching at her ankle. However, with both teams having more to play for than ever, and Cardwell and Bruce animated from the sidelines, neither team was letting up the fight.
Molly Jovic proved an unstoppable force as she challenged every ball, was first to every scrap and continued to find vision to the post, collecting 25 goal assists and 36 feeds for the game. Parmenter and Nankivell put pressure in the centre third, opening up the path for the rest of the team. Sinclair and Jok remained confident in their shooting capabilities, and brought the Mavs back within one goal at the power five. With Lewis and Jenner on the prowl, the game was in anyone's hands. UniSC stadium erupted with any movement of the ball.
Just as it all seemed over for the Mavericks, a third ankle injury was sustained, as Mahalia Cassidy hit the deck, creating a turnover ball the Mavericks desperately needed. Gabby Sinclair put up two super shots, with Jok continuing to chip away at the one pointers, supplying the Mavericks with everything they needed to steal the win over the lightning a nail biting last six seconds of the game.
In their first win as a team, the Melbourne Mavericks were all smiles from the moment the final siren sounded. In a post match interview, Head Coach, Tracey Neville, noted that the win, “feels amazing” and that when the team needed it, they truly banded together. Neville too acknowledged that today’s game “was all about heart”, and that is exactly what fans got from the Mavs. Having come together in under a year, the club has been building on this triumph from the second they stepped out on court, and what a well deserved first victory it was!
NEXT GAME:
Melbourne Mavericks V Adelaide Thunderbirds
Sat 11 May, 5:00pm AEST, John Cain Arena
