Round 6 Match Report | Vixens vs Lightning

In this season’s PLAY4BCNA match, the Vixens struggled to overcome the Lightning in front of 8445 fans. Hannah Mundy, Kate Moloney and Sophie Garbin stood up and did their best to steady the ship in an otherwise disappointing loss.

At the end of the match, Simone McKinnis announced that she will step down as head coach at the end of the 2025 season, ending 13 years at the helm of one of Super Netball’s most successful teams.  

Q1 | Vixens 11–14 Lightning
From the get-go, eyes were on the Lightning’s goal circle and the physical battle under the post between Rudi Ellis (5 deflections) and Reilley Batcheldor - Ellis picking up an early intercept and tip within the opening minute. It was a defensive game, with both teams having to be patient and persistent bringing the ball down the court. Kate Eddy (3 gains, 1 intercepts), Jo Weston (2 gains, 5 deflections) and Ellis made the Lightning work hard to get prime position under the post, while the Vixens were met with similar defensive intensity which forced some early turnovers. With some Kiera Austin (10/14, 71%) to Sophie Garbin (22/26, 85%) magic at the end of the quarter and late Steph Fretwell super shots, the stage was set for an intense remaining three quarters.

Q2 | Vixens 23–31 Lightning
Lightning got off to a bolting start, pushing the margin out to four goals early. The Vixens responded well by maintaining their first quarter pressure and started bringing some midcourt rhythm, led by skipper Moloney (4 gains, 1 deflection) and Mundy (25 feeds, 2 gains). The pair seemed to find circle edge with more ease early in the second term, but it was quickly halted by the Lightning’s quick ball movement and strong conversion rate. After a Vixens time-out with four minutes left to play, McKinnis swung a heap of changes, shifting Mundy into C, Moloney into WD against former teammate Liz Watson, injecting Zara Walters into WA, Eddy into GD and Weston into GK. It wasn't enough to stem the flow, Lightning stretching the margin out to eight goals at the main break.

Q3 | Vixens 37–47 Lightning
With Lily Graham (11/13, 85%) starting the second half in GA for Austin, the Vixens were looking to find some movement and energy in their attacking half which had immediate impact. Graham and Garbin bounced off each other well with the exceptional work rate of Moloney in WD, which helped their transition down the court. Walters (24 feeds, 9 goal assists) also impressed on circle edge, threading the needle a few times against a smothering Lightning defence, and finding Graham well both under the post and setting her up for some late super shots.

Q4 | Vixens 50–62 Lightning
Lightning's quick feeds into Fretwell and Batcheldor proved difficult for the Vixens to combat, and with ten minutes to play, Ellis was welcomed back into GK with Weston pushing back out to GD for Eddy. Moloney continued to fight until the end and do what she does best, continually offering as a reset option and at the centre pass. With five minutes remaining in the final term, Austin came on into GS for Garbin to close the gap in the super shot period. Mundy and Walters continued to take the first option under the post, with the duo banking 49 feeds and 23 goal assists together, however the clean and precise Lightning proved too strong.

THE NUMBERS
12 – The number of combined deflections from Ellis (5), Weston (5), Eddy (1), and Moloney (1) who worked hard to have an impact against a clinical performance from Lighting's attack.
13 – After 13 years at the helm, Simone McKinnis has announced she’ll step down as head coach at the end of the season. In her tenure to date, McKinnis has guided the Vixens to national league titles in 2014 and 2020, minor premierships in 2017, 2020 and 2022, as well as to Super Netball grand final appearances in 2022 and 2024.

THE COACH SAYS
Simone McKinnis spoke about her decision to step down as head coach at season's end, mentioning her group wants to end her final season on a high.

“It's my job now to find a way to help work with this group of athletes... we need to make the next few rounds the best we can and then I walk away.”

"We've got to find a way, that's what coaching is, and it's not all easy. I love [Kate Moloney] and I love the players and the club. I want the best for them, so my job is to give them everything, absolutely everything for the rest of this season."

NEXT UP
The Vixens hit the road in Round 7, heading north to take on the Queensland Firebirds in the first instalment of Super Netball’s league-wide First Nations Round, at Nissan Arena on Turrbal and Yuggera land from 2pm Sunday 25 May.

ALL IN. ALL VIXEN.
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