By Pip Turton
West Coast Fever have defeated the Melbourne Vixens by nine goals to cement their place as hosts of next week's Minor Semi Final.
The opening term set the tone for a tight, physical, and emotionally charged game.
Sasha Glasgow’s opening goal was immediate confirmation that Fever intended to play on the front foot, but the Vixens weren't going to let this slide.
Kate Moloney and Hannah Mundy began to stitch together passages of controlled possession, feeding Kiera Austin with increasing purpose.
Defensively, Kadie-Ann Dehaney’s early work under the post signalled that nothing would be easy in the circle.
Every shot was earned and every pass was pressured.
By quarter time, only one goal divided the two sides, Fever 15 to Vixens 14
Moloney surrounded as she scans for options.
The second quarter was when Fever started to build their grip on the match.
Romelda Aiken-George was a strong pillar throughout the game, holding space and scoring everything that came her way.
Her presence forced the Vixens’ defence to sit deeper, which opened up Fever’s attack end.
Glasgow added steady support while Alice Teague-Neeld and Zoe Cransberg lifted the tempo through the midcourt.
Vixens had sophisticated moments despite losing the quarter/
Sophie Garbin scored cleanly and Austin kept working for position.
But every time the Vixens looked ready to surge, Fever found a way to stop them.
Fran Williams produced a key intercept, and Dehaney kept contesting everything in the air.
Penalties also hurt the Vixens at key times, breaking their flow.
By halftime, the margin had stretched to 34 to 25 Fever's way.
Zoe Cransberg sets the rhythm.
The third quarter became a grind through and through.
Garbin kept her composure under the net, Austin tried to drag the Vixens back into range, and Jo Weston read the play well, with some strong defensive moments.
But Fever never let the pressure break them.
Cransberg kept the tempo steady, Teague-Neeld kept the ball moving, and Aiken-George kept converting; there was no panic, just structure.
Heading into the final quarter, Fever held a strong lead over the Vixens, 50 to 38.
Glasgow finishes clean under pressure.
The Vixens needed something special and the final quarter delivered exactly that, at least for a while.
Austin exploded into life with Suncorp Super Shots that lifted the energy of the contest, and ignited John Cain Arena.
Then Garbin joined in and the margin started to shrink - for a moment it felt like a comeback was brewing.
The Vixens threw everything at it, but the clock wasn’t in their favour.
Zoe Cransberg took a critical intercept late in the quarter and when the final whistle blew, it was Fever 64 to Vixens 55.
The win sealing third spot on the ladder and the reward that comes with it, a home Minor Semi Final back in Perth against the Mavericks.
