Showdown of Caribbean goal shooters upstaged in Fever win

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC):

A showdown between ace Caribbean goal shooters Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard of Jamaica and Samantha Joseph-Wallace of Trinidad and Tobago were upstaged by solid work from defender Sunday Aryang that enabled West Coast Fever to clinch a 75-59 win in the Super Netball League yesterday in Australia.

Fowler-Nembhard, arguably the No. 1 goal shooter in the world, and Joseph-Wallace, one of the best in the league before injury sidelined her for the past two years, met at the Ken Rosewall Arena in a repeat of last year's preliminary final.

The Jamaican netted 60 goals from 62 attempts, including one super shot, which counts for two goals, and her Trinidadian rival made 35 from 38 that also included one super shot, but it was Aryang, the Ethiopia-born, Australia international, who grabbed the spotlight with her shut down defence against England goaler Helen Housby.

Aryang, 22, ended with six gains and 11 deflections, and blanketed Housby for the entire contest, restricting her to a humbling three goals and a poor accuracy rate of 43 per cent. That, in large measure, enabled the Fever to gain revenge over the Swifts for their failure nine months ago.

The result meant Fever remained unbeaten through the first four rounds of the season and have 16 points, and Swifts dropped to fourth in the table on eight points from two wins and two losses.

A few costly errors and a flurry of super shots handed Fever a 23-15 lead heading into the first break, but the defence of the Swifts sparked in the second period, and Elle Temu and Sarah Klau disrupted the slick attacking flow of the Fever.

Combined with strong finishing from Sophie Fawns, who ended the match with 12 from 17, including eight super shots, Swifts cut the deficit to 35-33 at half-time.

Fever returned from the break and were the more disciplined team in the second half, forcing errors and getting more hands to clean balls, and regained their efficiency at finding Fowler-Nembhard and compatriot Shanice Beckford (eight from nine, including six out of six super shots) to score off their centre pass.

It proved the difference, and they gained a 57-48 lead entering the final stanza, and the Fever remained in control to close out the match, as the Swifts failed to find any answers.

Elsewhere, Melbourne Vixens had to use all their composure to continue their unbeaten start to the season in a bruising 68-55 win against Queensland Firebirds in front of a packed crowd at John Cain Arena.