The Adelaide Thunderbirds are one step closer to their finals dreams, defeating the NSW Swifts by six goals (66-60) on Saturday night to celebrate Georgie Horjus' 100th match on a high.
The Swifts were dealt a big blow earlier in the day with Sarah Klau ruled out with leg soreness, and their day was made no easier with Grace Whyte ruled out in the first 10 minutes after an ankle sprain.
A phenomenal 24-13 opening term set up the Thunderbirds' victory, however, it was not all so simple with a mammoth Suncorp Super Shot effort from rookie Nicola Barge keeping the Swifts within touching distance.
With confidence up and fatigue on the mind heading into finals, Tbirds head coach Tania Obst made plenty of rotations throughout the match.
Elmeré van der Berg was outstanding in the first quarter, piling on 19 goals straight while Latanya Wilson picked off two early intercepts.
An even second and third quarter proved the Swifts could match with the best, as Paige Hadley turned on the burners, Maddy Turner picked off five gains and Grace Nweke shot true.
But while the Swifts kept the pressure on, that opening quarter from the Thunderbirds came back to haunt them.
Improvement throughout the match could not quite break through the buffer they had set themselves up against, especially against the unfazed Thunderbirds.
No matter what the Swifts threw at them, including four final quarter Suncorp Super Shots, the Thunderbirds took on the pressure and played their own game to run home six-goal victors.
Van der Berg finished with 51 goals and one Suncorp Super Shot at 90 per cent, fed seamlessly by new SSN centurion Horjus and Kate Heffernan (20 assists each) while Wilson, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Matilda Garrett combined for 10 gains, six intercepts and eight deflections.
For the Swifts, Hadley put up her best performance of the season with 20 assists and two gains in her 52 minutes while Turner finished with five gains.
Barge's nine Suncorp Super Shots are a career-high for the young pathways product as Nweke held down the fort in goal shooter with 37 goals at 92 per cent.
The Thunderbirds will play Sunshine Coast Lightning in Round 14 ahead of an enormous finals series later this month while the Swifts will close out their season with the NSW Derby next Sunday afternoon.
