Silver Ferns defender Katrina Rore's NSW Swifts have dispatched Melbourne Vixens 60-47 to book a Super Netball grand final showdown against two-time defending champions Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Katrina Rore Photo: SWpix.com
The Swifts scored the first four goals in Sunday's preliminary final clash at Sydney's Quaycentre and never led by less than three for the remainder of the match.
Swifts circle defenders Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner dominated early, with the former grabbing three first-quarter rebounds and the latter pulling off two intercepts in the term.
The Vixens' usually-reliable Diamonds shooter Caitlin Thwaites missed three of her first seven shots and was replaced by Malawi's Mwai Kumwenda after 11 minutes.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis benched another of her stars before quarter-time with goalkeeper Emily Mannix replaced by Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
The Swifts led 19-12 at quarter-time, and 33-22 at halftime, Rore chipping in with three intercepts by the main break.
Vixens produced a 7-1 run in the third quarter to slash a 10-goal deficit to four.
But successive missed shots from Vixens' goal attack Tegan Philip, combined with three straight goals to the Swifts, blew the home team's advantage up to 44-37 by three-quarter time.
Vixens scored three consecutive goals early in the last quarter, but couldn't get the gap below five and Swifts responded with a five-goal burst to cruise home.
The Swifts will travel to the Sunshine Coast for next Sunday's grand final against Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua's Lightning.
-AAP
