The Adelaide Thunderbirds have issued a Super Netball pre-finals statement with an emphatic 73-58 victory over the Melbourne Vixens.
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After little separated the two teams early in Saturday's top-of-the-table blockbuster at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the Thunderbirds took control with a 17-10 second quarter before sprinting home in the fourth to keep intact their unbeaten home record.
The only downer in Adelaide's takedown of the ladder leaders from Melbourne was an injury to goal attack Lauren Frew, who limped off midway through the second term with a rolled left ankle.
Frew's exit didn't halt the progress of the T'birds, whose suffocating, competition-best defence helped fashion big advantages in deflections (25-6), rebounds (13-2) and intercepts (6-3).
"It's all about the gameplan that I came out here for the Vixens," said player-of-the-match Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, the shining star of Adelaide's gilt-edged backcourt.
"I know last time (against the Vixens) we fell short, so I tidied up what I needed to do and we came out with the win.
"I'm super proud, especially for that defence that we put on."
After falling behind 8-4 early, Adelaide shook off their initial lethargy and captured the initiative to knot the scores at 15-all at quarter time.
The Thunderbirds maintained that momentum in the second stanza in which their much-lauded defence came to the fore.
Adelaide's dynamic backcourt trio of Sterling-Humphrey, Latanya Wilson and Matilda Garret racked up a staggering nine deflections between them for the quarter as the hosts moved ahead 32-25 at halftime.
Sterling-Humphrey added three intercepts in the third period, while Tayla Williams and captain Hannah Petty asserted themselves in the midcourt to keep the Vixens at arm's length.
The margin ballooned out to 18 in the fourth term, the Vixens looking rattled virtually for the first time in 2024.
Melbourne shooters Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin got on a roll in the circle to minimise some of the percentage damage, leading a 10-1 Vixens surge, before Thunderbirds shooter Lucy Austin responded with a 6-0 individual run across the last minute of play.
Australian Associated Press
