Diamonds finally conquer Silver Ferns in historic decider to win the Constellation Cup
The Diamonds have finally conquered the Silver Ferns in an historic decider to win the Constellation Cup – but not before a heart-stopping extra period.
The Diamonds have beaten their New Zealand hoodoo and reclaimed the Constellation Cup but it could have come at a cost, with Sunday Aryang collapsing to the floor in tears on the final pass of the match.
The match was forced into a 14-minute series decider after the Ferns claimed Test four 62-57 in regular time but the Aussies prevailed 12-11 despite the Silver Ferns levelling the match with just over 90 seconds remaining after midcourter Mila Reuelu-Buchanan earned a turnover that allowed her side to get back on level terms after it seemed the Aussies had the game in their grasp.
But the World No.1 Diamonds showed every bit of their experience, holding possession until there were just seconds left on the clock before feeding the ball into Sophie Garbin who took the successful shot to seal the win.
The Ferns had one final centre pass though and fired a hail mary into the goal circle that Aryang flew to take while front marking Ferns star Grace Nweke, only to end on the floor clutching at her knee.
Aryang was helped from the court, with several Diamonds players in tears at the sight of their distressed teammate’s pain, while Nweke - who was in no way at fault - also distressed.
Diamonds captain Liz Watson questioned the “weird format” despite the Aussies walking away with the trophy, with the Aussies left particularly flat after Aryang’s injury.
“To get the win’s awesome, I guess the way it finished, not so awesome,” Watson said.
“It’s just a weird format to play that extra 14 minutes to be honest.”
Watson said the netball played in the extra periods was “definitely not pretty” and said a fifth game in the series may be preferable.
“But look, everyone had a great series, and we’re really proud to be able to finish with the Cup,” she said.
“That was our goal right from day one, was to take that Constellation Cup back to Australia, and we’ve done that job.
“So really proud of this whole group.”
DROUGHT IS OVER
The victory ended the Diamonds’ 1702-day drought in New Zealand, in a full-circle moment after their last win across the ditch also coming in Christchurch in March, 2021.
The series decider was needed after the Diamonds blew a six-goal halftime lead - and three-goal buffer at the final break - losing the final quarter 19-11 to force extra time.
While they staggered though, the Diamonds refused to fall, pushing their most experienced players back on court, with the starting seven delivering.
If the Aussies had wanted a test ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the furnace was turned up to maximum blast, with the Diamonds coming out on top under enormous pressure from a hostile crowd.
The prospect of losing Aryang for an extended period though - the great fear after watching the way she clutched at her knee is a ruptured ACL - will be worrying the Aussies given she is clearly their top goal defence and was outstanding throughout the series.
She was in the hands of team medical staff last night, with no update on her inject immediately available.
For now though, there will be some contentment at notching a win in New Zealand in what will be their final offshore preparation for next year’s Glasgow Games.
Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich said she had great trust in her players and their preparation in the final stages.
“I can’t create that environment in a training as much as you would try and orchestrate situations,” she said.
“And I think that’s been one of the greatest learnings for us as a group - when you cannot hear each other, and you’ve got to use your actions on court and it’s do or die, to have them really finish out and attack it and not go into defend, that’s where we had some of our greatest passages of play.
“Would we have liked to have won the 60 minute game? Absolutely.
“(But) I think there’s parts where you just learn so much about the group.”
SERIES INTO HISTORIC TIE-BREAKER
The Constellation Cup went to a tie-breaker for the first time in history after the Diamonds again succumbed to their New Zealand hoodoo to lose the fourth Test 62-56 after an epic final-quarter meltdown.
After beating the Silver Ferns by a combined 34 goals in the opening two legs in Australia, the Diamonds would have reclaimed the trophy under the old system, in which the series was decided on aggregate.
But under new rules, designed to combat the letdown of a tied series, the teams will play two seven-minute periods after a 12-minute break.
The Diamonds seemed set to beat their 1702-day drought in New Zealand after establishing a five-goal lead in the first term and extending their lead to six at the main break.
The Ferns clawed their way back to within three goals at the final break but Australia got the wobbles badly, making poor decisions, while their shooters got the yips and past results came back to haunt them.
After making five changes in the final term, coach Stacey Marinkovich has a big call to make in the break on what line-up she will field in the extra period.
She rested captain Liz Watson in the third term as the Kiwis’ box defence got on top of the Australians, injecting Thunderbirds swing playmaker Georgie Horjus into the mix.
But Horjus was switched to goal attack in the final term, after Kiera Austin, who shot at just 78 per cent and had give turnovers, was taken off the court.
Marinkovich changed her shooting line-up twice more in the final term though, with Sophie Dwyer and Cara Koenen also injected as tall defenders Catherine Hall and Kelly Jackson started to dominate in the circle.
For so much of the game, the Australians went to work against the zone defence, remaining patient and taking their time to get to circle edge for the feed.
But when the pressure came on in the back half of the game, they reverted to type and brought the Wolfbrook Arena crowd back into the game, something that rattled the Diamonds players.
The Diamonds lost the third leg of the Constellation Cup 61-52 to the Silver Ferns in Hamilton on Sunday, their ninth successive defeat in New Zealand, stretching back to 2021.
Ahead of their trip across the ditch – after beating the Ferns by 17 goals in back-to-back matches in Melbourne and Sydney – coach Stacey Marinkovich said her team would not address its form in New Zealand specifically, although it was obviously aware of the record.
Ash Ervin, who made her Test debut against South Africa earlier this month, came into the 12 in place of fellow Tilly Garrett, giving the Diamonds a mix of height and experience, across the defensive line.
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