Fever Tune-up for New Season with Win Over President’s 12

West Coast Fever hit the court for their first run with a full team under full match conditions on Sunday completing a 72-35 win over the Netball WA President’s 12 team.

Played at Challenge Stadium as their official season launch, and with the revamped Fever front line of Caitlin Bassett (WAIS), Natalie Medhurst and Chelsea Pitman working with new recruit Khao Watts in the first quarter, the Fever controlled the early tempo.

Fever defenders Eboni Beckford-Chambers and Josie Janz (WAIS) dominated their battles in the goal circle and helped their side to a 24-4 lead at the first break.

The second quarter belonged to two Fever players getting their first court time in the contest, goal keeper Courtney Bruce (WAIS) and goal shooter Kate Beveridge (WAIS).

Bruce owned her position and caused plenty of turnovers which eventually landed in the hands of Beveridge who made 10 of her 12 attempts as the Fever raced away to a 40-11 half-time lead.

The President’s 12 had the advantage of a Powerplay in the third term so were awarded 14 points from their seven goals, but still Fever ran hard to keep the pressure on and by three quarter time led 58-25.

Fever coach Norma Plummer experimented a bit more with her line-up in the fourth quarter, including moving Ashleigh Brazill (WAIS) from wing defence to centre as the Fever went on the claim the win.

“It was good to get a game under our belts,” Plummer said.

“We wanted to test our combinations and I thought our defensive pressure showed just how much work we have been putting into those structures.

“Now we are looking forward to heading to Melbourne this week and taking that next step up again in game intensity.”

Denise Shepley (WAIS) worked hard in the last three quarters at goal attack for the President’s 12 and was named as her team’s MVP. The President’s 12 also included fellow WAIS scholarship holders; Ellie Smart, Numi Tupaea, Jess Anstiss, Nicole Lendich, Sophie Garbin, Ingrid Colyer and Annika Lee-Jones.

This week Fever head to Melbourne for the ANZ Championship Summer Shootout pre-season competition.

Fever take on last year’s ANZ Championship grand finalists the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the QLD Firebirds in two of their six Summer Shootout games.

The official pre-season tournament will be a netball feast, with 30 matches scheduled to be played over two days in Melbourne.

All 10 teams will be in action at Melbourne’s State Netball Hockey Centre for the Shootout and will play a minimum of six matches over the weekend of February 15-16.

West Coast Fever’s 2014 ANZ Championship season starts on Sunday, March 2 and will feature a game at Perth Arena in Round 11 when they take on the NSW Swifts on Monday, May 12. The team’s first home game is on Sunday, March 9 when they take on the Melbourne Vixens at Challenge Stadium.

-NetballWA