THE Giants remain in touch with the ladder leaders after defeating Collingwood Magpies 58-49 and spoiling the celebrations for Geva Mentor’s 200th national league game in the Suncorp Super Netball competition.
The Magpies were hoping to gift their inspirational captain with a win in Sunday’s home clash at John Cain Arena but the Giants answered every challenge to stay within striking distance of league pacesetters NSW Swifts and Sunshine Coast Lightning.
While the result sees the Giants sit comfortably in third spot on the ladder, they have yet to defeat any of the teams in the top four – a statistic midcourter Maddie Hay hopes they can rectify over the final month of the regular season.
“There are a few teams out there that we haven’t got the win against and we are really looking forward to putting up our best effort against them to prove that we are a real threat to the finals,” Hay said after tallying 42 feeds and 23 goal assists.
The NSW Swifts have maintained their position on top of the ladder with a comfortable 62-48 victory over the struggling Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena.
Buoyed by their nail-biting, one-goal victory over the previously unbeaten West Coast Fever, the ladder leaders eased past the Vixens on Saturday to reclaim the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup and secure their fifth win from their last six contests.
Any hopes of the Vixens building upon last week’s upset triumph over Sunshine Coast Lightning were quickly erased once the Swifts exploded out of the blocks with nine of the first 10 goals to set up an 18-6 lead after just the first quarter.
The Giants next battle the Vixens on Sunday, July 18, at 5pm at Ken Rosewall Arena, while the Swifts take on Adelaide Thunderbirds on Sunday, July 18, at 1pm at Ken Rosewall Arena.
