A DONNELL Wallam masterclass wasn’t enough for a brave Queensland Firebirds team as they just came up short in Saturday’s Suncorp Super Netball clash with the NSW Swifts in Sydney.
Wallam scored a game-high 60 points from 63 attempts but it wasn’t enough as the Swifts put on a fourth-quarter blitz to win 74-71 in a tight affair at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Playing against Firebirds legend Romelda Aiken-George for the first time since her off-season switch to the Swifts in her 200th national league appearance, it was Wallam who got the visitors off to a bright start scoring all 20 of her team’s points as the teams ended the first term locked at 20-all.
Wallam added a further 19 points as the Firebirds took control of the match in the second quarter, with only three Suncorp Super Shots by Swifts goal attack Helen Housby preventing Queensland from being more the three points clear they were at the main break.
Housby’s shooting kept the Swifts in the hunt as the Firebirds kept the pressure on in the third term, the English international nailing two more Suncorp Super Shots after Queensland had surged to a four point advantage.
Wallam claimed the highlight of the match however when she sunk an incredible lay-up goal over her shoulder moments before she stepped out of court.
Those late goals by the Swifts meant Queensland were just one point clear at the final change and the Firebirds couldn’t stop a late surge by the hosts as they outscored the Firebirds 17-13 to take the win despite Mia Stower’s own late run of Suncorp Super Shots in the dying minutes.
With the Firebirds sticking with the same seven for the entire match, it wasn’t just Wallam who shone for the visitors.
Lara Dunkley recorded 101 Nissan NetPoints with 22 goal assists and 34 feeds while mid-court partner Kim Ravaillion was in the middle of everything for the Firebirds in a key match-up against fellow captain Maddy Proud.
The Firebirds are back on the road next weekend when they take on the Collingwood Magpies in an Easter Sunday game at John Cain Arena.
