Sam Wallace stars as impressive NSW Swifts book ticket to Super Netball Grand Final
NSW Swifts have smashed Melbourne Vixens 60-47 to book a Super Netball grand final showdown against two-time defending champions Sunshine Coast Lightning.
The Swifts scored the first four goals in Sunday's preliminary final clash at Sydney's Quaycentre and never led by less than three for the remainder of the match.
Swifts circle defenders Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner dominated early, with the former grabbing three first-quarter rebounds and the latter pulling off two intercepts in the term.
The Vixens' usually-reliable Diamonds shooter Caitlin Thwaites missed three of her first seven shots and was replaced by Malawi's Mwai Kumwenda after 11 minutes.
NSW Swifts attacking duo Helen Housby and Sam Wallace celebrate after the win AAP
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis benched another of her stars before quarter-time with goalkeeper Emily Mannix replaced by Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
The Swifts led by seven at quarter-time.
Mannix came back late in the second quarter but Thwaites wasn't sighted again.
The Swifts' Silver Ferns' wing defence Katrina Rore chipped in with three intercepts by halftime, when the home side's lead had ballooned to 11.
Vixens produced a 7-1 run in the third quarter to slash a 10-goal deficit to four.
Wallace was in dominant form, finishing with 39 goals from 41 shot attempts Getty
But successive missed shots from Vixens' goal attack Tegan Philip, combined with three straight goals to the Swifts, blew the home team's advantage up to seven by three-quarter time
Vixens scored three consecutive goals early in the last quarter, but couldn't get the gap below five and Swifts responded with a five-goal burst to cruise home.
Swifts' shooters Sam Wallace and Helen Housby missed just two shots each, with the former finishing with 39 from 41 attempts.
The Swifts will have to travel to the Sunshine Coast for next Sunday's grand final against the Lightning.
