Super Netball: Firebirds claim upset victory over Vixens in Cairns
The Queensland Firebirds might have to bring games to Cairns more often if they can produce performances like the one they did on Sunday.
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The Queensland Firebirds might have to bring games to Cairns more often if they can produce performances like the one they did on Sunday.
The Firebirds were dominant as they clinched a 64-58 upset victory over minor premiers the Melbourne Vixens at the Cairns Pop-Up Arena to close out the competition’s annual Indigenous Round.
After jumping out by 11 goals in the second quarter, the Firebirds surrendered the lead in the second half before regaining the ascendancy and powering home for the confidence-boosting win.
The victory, which was the Firebirds’ fifth of the season and their third in their last four games, handed the Vixens just their second loss in 2020.
Romelda Aiken finished with 45 goals, but it was the defensive efforts of Tara Hinchcliffe and the Townsville-born Kim Jenner that helped secure the Firebirds’ win.
The pair combined for six intercepts, 10 deflections and 11 gains, with Jenner picking up player of the match honours in her North Queensland return.
“We had a lot to play for today so it’s great that we could go out there and do a whole team performance to really take that win,” Jenner said.
“It’s so important that we do finish the year strong and we have that momentum going into next year, and it was so special being able to get the win in front of the North Queensland crowd, but also in our Indigenous dress as well.”
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The Townsville-born defender said she hoped to play more games in her home region in the future.
“We’re a Queensland team so it’s great that we can play in front of our fans and our Purple Family up here in the north,” she said.
“Hopefully we can come back a lot more.”
Coach Roselee Jencke agreed with her star defender.
“The crowd and the fans were fantastic,” Jencke said.
“Everybody’s been really welcoming and I’m hoping that we can get back here again.”
She said the win over the Vixens was an important one.
“It gives us great belief and confidence, knowing that we can beat the top teams,” she said. “To be able to beat the minor premiers is pretty awesome and just to be able to enjoy this moment, I think that that’s really important.
“From where we were last year, to be able to finish off the season positively and hopefully get fifth position would be an awesome way to finish it.”
With the minor premiership locked up, the Vixens allowed star midcourter Liz Watson to sit out the clash with an ankle complaint.
The Firebirds will end their 2020 campaign against the last-placed Collingwood Magpies in Brisbane on Saturday.
SCOREBOARD — CAIRNS FIXTURES
■ WEST COAST FEVER 71 (Fowler 64, Stanton 7) d GWS GIANTS 66 (Harten 34, Austin 32)
■ NSW SWIFTS 57 (Wallace 27, Housby 22, Garbin 8) d ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS 54 (Potgieter 33, Gooden 14, Horjus 7)
■ QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS 64 (Aiken 45, Dwan 19) d MELBOURNE VIXENS 58 (Kumwenda 25, Thwaites 24, Philip 9)
Originally published as Super Netball: Firebirds claim upset victory over Vixens in Cairns