Round 2 match report | Vixens Academy vs GIANTS Academy

The home team led for most of the match, utilising multiple combinations and composure to overcome two comebacks by the GIANTS Academy during the second and third quarters, and 6 super shots throughout the match to Vixens Academy’s 0.

Q1| Vixens Academy 18 – 9 GIANTS Academy
Vixens Academy started with a similar starting seven to Round 1 except for Lily Graham in goal shooter and Ruby Turner in goal defence. GIANTS Netball Reserves’ meanwhile had a new look lineup featuring their newest SSN debutantes in the starting seven – Dakota Thomas in goal defence, and Skye Thompson in her third position of centre – while captain Jamie Podmore-Taylor moved into wing defence, Monika 'Otai started in goal attack for her first minutes of the season, and 16-year old GIANTS SSN training partner Evalina Carneiro got her first Reserves starting gig at goal keeper.

It was a dominant first quarter for Vixens Academy with all seven starting players making an impact on the stats sheet. Graham and Mia Lavis found form early by mixing up their ability to drive outside the circle and run the baseline as required. Captain Ally O’Connor didn’t give any space to Thompson with the support of Taylah Brown in wing defence who secured some early pickups. 'Otai sank one super shot in the power 5, but overall GIANTS struggled to get the ball down court and convert due to the defensive work of Maggie Caris.

Q2 | Vixens Academy 26 – 24 GIANTS Academy
GIANTS made wholesale changes to start the second quarter – Thompson to wing attack, 'Otai to goal shooter, Ellie Hart into goal attack, Podmore-Taylor to centre, and Matilda Fanning into wing defence – that proved quickly effective in drawing the margin back to 2.

Ruby Pekin-Schlicht was injected into the game for Vixens Academy at goal defence to slow down GIANTS’ momentum and resume her stellar partnership with Caris as seen in Round 1. Marley Aplin brought the energy for GIANTS coming into centre for her SN Reserves debut towards the end of the quarter, forcing Vixens Academy to make their own changes of training partner Casey Dunstan into centre and Georgia Moody into goal attack to maintain a 2-point margin going into half time.

Q3 | Vixens Academy 39 – 40 GIANTS Academy
Vixens Academy made several changes to start the second half by bringing Bella Hodgson into goal shooter, moving Moody to goal attack, Anderson back into wing attack, and O’Connor back into wing defence. For GIANTS, Eloise Egan was brought into goal keeper with Carneiro in front, and Olivia Harris who started the game in goal shooter moved into wing attack.

It was a similar story to the second quarter, with Vixens pushing the margin out early, only for GIANTS to claw the score back. Pekin-Schlicht continued to shine with the added impact of training partner Georgie O’Brien making her Reserves debut for Vixens Academy in wing defence just before the power five, when Lavis was also brought back into the game. Hart and ‘Otai both scored super shots, putting the GIANTS in front by 1 before the final break.

Q4 | Vixens Academy 59 – 50 GIANTS Academy
Vixens Academy brought Brown back into wing defence and O’Connor back into centre to kick off the final quarter.

The home team again pushed out to a lead, with Hodgson finding back space with ease, Lavis sweeping the top of the circle, and full-court defensive pressure causing GIANTS to make errors. With a 9-point lead heading into the final power 5, GIANTS moved Harris into goal attack. Vixens Academy were happy to shoot the 1-pointers while Harris and ‘Otai both slotted super shots, but it wasn’t enough to impact the scoreboard. Vixens Academy ended the match with the biggest winning margin of the round for a second week in a row.

THE COACH & CAPTAIN SAY
Vixens Academy head coach Wendy Jacobsen spoke post-game about overcoming a persistent GIANTS in the second and third quarters. “It was certainly a game where we performed really well in the first and fourth quarters, and even in parts of the third, by being able to try different players and strategies to see what did and didn’t work. I think that the girls did really well to reconnect then rebuild through the backend of the third and into the fourth.”

Captain Ally O’Connor was likewise proud of her side’s ability to maintain composure in pressure moments, saying, “They have some really experienced players out there and they have an ability to shoot the 2s, which is something that we’ll probably go back to the drawing board and have a look at… I do think that we had control, it’s just working on that 60-minute effort now.”

On their power 5 strategy, Jacobsen said her side is working through when and how to most effectively use the super shot. “We’re still working on ways to free ourselves up, and I think we’re getting there. It is new to a lot of our players – they don’t play it during the week – so it is a work in progress.”

When asked who stood out during the match, Jacobsen said, “I think Maggie Caris was very consistent across the four quarters, and I think Mia Lavis re-entered and really dominated, but I really think it was a whole team effort… They all came on and did a great job, and other ones changed positions and were able to disrupt GIANTS.”

O’Connor was also most impressed by Caris in this match, “Maggie at the back end is just such a controller. She gets tips but she’s also a really supportive teammate.”

NEXT UP
Vixens Academy take on Queensland Firebirds Futures in another home match on Sunday 10 May at 6.30pm at John Cain Arena following the Melbourne Vixens Round 9 SSN match. Admission is included with all SSN tickets to this match.

Stream all Super Netball Reserves games via Kommunity TV/Code Sports and keep up to date with scores via Play HQ.