Fever Undone By Thunderbirds
West Coast Fever lost their first game in three weeks after going down to the Adelaide Thunderbirds 72-46 in Adelaide.
Coming off two incredible wins over the Northern Mystics and the Kia Magic, the Fever lost to an Adelaide side that poured on defensive pressure from the very first whistle.
After a tough first quarter the Fever trailed by 17-9 at the first change and then made plenty of changes at quarter time.
WAIS athlete Alicia Janz was called on to make her ANZ Championship debut, running out at wing defence after Ashleigh Brazill (WAIS) was moved into centre to replace Shae Bolton (WAIS) who went to the bench. Chanel Gomes came on to replace Josie Janz (WAIS) at goal defence.
Fever came out and scored the first goal of the second but the experienced Thunderbirds outfit soon worked its way on top to lead 34-23 at half-time.
Turnovers hurt the Fever in the first half as they committed 12 compared to the Thunderbirds’ seven.
Changes continued to start the third quarter as Alicia Janz headed back to the bench after a very tough initiation into ANZ Championship netball. Gomes came out of the goal circle to replace Janz at wing defence, Josie Janz came back on to take on Carla Berrego at goal keeper while Eboni Beckford-Chambers was moved out to goal defence to battle with Erin Bell.
The Fever lifted their intensity to start the third term, but the Thunderbirds continued to build on their lead and elevated the lead to 19 goals at three quarter time, 54-35.
The tight one-on-one contests from the likes of Thunderbirds wing defence Renae Hallinan and centre Natalie von Bertouch shut down the penetration from the Fever attack. The Thunderbirds had done their homework on the drive created by dynamic Fever wing attack Verity Simmons (WAIS) in the past few weeks and across the court caused headaches for the Fever attack.
Some more changes were made midway through the last quarter with Fever bringing on WAIS athlete Courtney Bruce to goal keeper, replacing Josie Janz and Lisa Millman came on to replace Simmons at wing attack but the Thunderbirds continued to run and show hunger for the ball to blow the margin out to 26 by the final whistle.
“They are a great tough, defensive side and you have to work hard for 60 minutes against them,” Fever captain Cath Cox said after the game.
“It’s a hard work load but you have to keep grinding away at it. They are a solid but clean team. They are talented and they shorn down our space.”
Fever’s next game is home at Challenge Stadium next Sunday, April 21 against the NSW Swifts.
– Netball WA