The East Fremantle Sharks have registered their highest score for the season against the Souwest Jets with a clinical 74-48 win in Round 12 of the Gold Industry Group West Australian Netball League.
The Sharks came into the game with two goals in mind – solidify their spot for a double chance in the finals series; and prove they could do it without centre Courtney Kruta, who travelled to Queensland to join West Coast Fever.
But the Jets were determined to not make it easy as they went blow for blow with the competition powerhouse in the opening term.
Despite being shorter than most of their Sharks’ counterparts, the Jets fought fiercely at the start, led by centre Elycce Webb as they pushed the Sharks in a tight 18-16 opening term.
However, Sharks centre Ella Sigley lifted her side in the second quarter as they pulled the game onto their terms with ferocious passing across the court.
Sigley said the Sharks were determined to prove they could be finals contenders even without their West Coast Fever players available.
“I think we definitely proved ourselves in that game, it was one of our best games for the season,” she said.
“We like to play quick where we can and catch their defence off guard as it makes it a bit easier for ourselves.”
With Larissa Harrison in shooter and Molly Warne in goal defence proving too tall for the Jets to match, the Sharks went 21-9 for the term as they muscled their way to a commanding 39-25 half time lead.
Jets shooter Giselle Taylor was brought on to combat the height in attack, and the strategy worked for a time as her team lifted early in the third to keep in touch with the Sharks.
But the second-placed Sharks were not to be denied, taking full advantage of missed opportunities and slower passing by the Jets side to establish a 58-38 lead at the final change.
The win means a Top 2 finish and is the Sharks to lose as they sit three points and eight per cent age points clear of the Western Roar in third with only two rounds to go.
“The game-plan from here is just go hard in the last two games,” Sigley said.
“We’ve got two hard games to finish it off and we really want to go strong into the finals against the Warriors.”
The Sharks will have their fate in their hands when they face the Western Roar on Friday night at the Gold Netball Centre at 8.30pm, while the Jets will be seeking their second win of the season against fellow cellar-dwellers the Southside Demons on the court opposite the Sharks.
