Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
The NSW Swifts have kept themselves in the Super Netball finals picture, holding off a late challenge from the Queensland Firebirds for a 68-62 victory.
With just five points the difference at the final break, goal shooter Grace Nweke held her composure to secure victory at Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday to keep her side’s slim finals hopes alive.
The Swifts cruised to a 38-24 lead at halftime before the Firebirds roared to life, slamming through four two-point super shots to win the third quarter 23-14.
Nweke scored 51 goals from 55 attempts, while goal attack Grace Whyte starred with 13 goals, 32 goal assists and 41 feeds.
Sitting sixth (5-7) outside of the top four, NSW had to win their First Nations Round fixture.
The Swifts (20 points) are eight points behind the fourth-placed Melbourne Mavericks and third-placed West Coast Fever with just two rounds remaining.
Defeating league leaders Adelaide and the last-placed Giants won’t be enough for NSW to keep their season alive.
To stand a chance on percentage, the Swifts will need either the Mavericks or the Fever to suffer heavy defeats en route to the finals.
Sunshine Coast Lightning also stand in the way, sitting fifth (5-7) and boasting a superior percentage.
The seventh-placed Firebirds (3-9) were already out of finals contention, having suffered a 69-51 loss to the Fever last round.
Firebirds centre Maddy Gordon notched 23 feeds and 15 goal assists, while Te Paea Selby-Rickit (19 goals) stole the show in the third quarter with three super spots.
After an early shootout, Whyte fired off a pair of two-point super shots to help the home side break out to a 20-11 lead at quarter-time.
Queensland coach Kiri Wills made four changes after the break, bringing Mary Cholhok back as goal shooter after benching the Ugandan international in the first quarter for Emily Moore.
Cholhok (36 goals) scored eight goals out of 10 shots in the second term, but her effort couldn’t stop the Swifts from building to their 14-point halftime lead.
But costly penalties given away by NSW opened the door for the Firebirds in the third quarter, with Selby-Rickit calling the shots to reduce the deficit to 52-47 before the final break.
Swifts goalkeeper Sarah Klau had given away 10 penalties in the third term alone, finishing with 27.
