The NSW Swifts have broken through for their first victory of the Super Netball season after charging home in the fourth quarter to defeat Queensland Firebirds 74-71 and celebrate veteran Romelda Aiken-George's 200th national league appearance.
The Swifts entered Saturday's contest at Ken Rosewall Arena on two competition points following an opening-round loss to Collingwood and a controversial draw in Adelaide where a series of delays resulted in the match being abandoned at halftime.
Queensland provided a serious challenge to the Swifts with goaler Donnell Wallam's dominance under the post setting up a 40-37 buffer for the visitors at halftime.
But the Swifts stepped up defensively in the final quarter to swing the result in their favour, captain Maddy Proud leading by example with a series of clutch plays to help her side disrupt Wallam's momentum.
"We knew we had to put the pressure on higher up in the court, we couldn't just leave it to the couple in the circle, so I think that full-court pressure is what got us over the line here," Proud said after NSW outscored the Firebirds by six goals in the second half.
The result was a positive for new Swifts goaler Aiken-George with the 34-year-old Jamaican reaching the milestone against the club she represented for 197 games, including three championships, after moving to Queensland in 2008.
"I think Romelda said this is the first milestone game she's ever won. So we're just so bloody happy that it's in the red and we love her in these colours, we said that she's a Swift for life now," Proud said about Aiken-George, who returned to the game following the birth of her daughter last year.
A fast start from Aiken-George helped the Swifts skip out to an early three-goal advantage but Wallam responded by making her first 20 shots in a row, her only miss coming from two-point range as she attempted to break a 20-20 deadlock in the dying seconds of the opening quarter.
With midcourt duo Lara Dunkley and Kim Ravaillion providing slick service to Wallan in the goal circle, the Firebirds continued their charge in the second period as the visitors inched ahead by three goals at halftime, Helen Housby keeping NSW in touch with a run of three Super shots.
Luck appeared to be on Queensland's side after the main break when Donnell sank a spectacular no-look one-handed toss falling out of court but Housby converted a penalty as the third quarter expired to cut the Firebirds' advantage to 58-57.
Loose play from Queensland and Housby's finishing resulted in a 6-2 start to the final quarter and the Swifts maintained their defensive intensity to leave the Firebirds winless after three games.
