A third-quarter surge helped Sunshine Coast secure a 43-43 draw with reigning champions NSW Swifts in Super Netball's pre-season tournament in Melbourne.
Sunshine Coast have uncovered a new Super Netball rising star after Reilley Batcheldor helped the Lightning secure a pulsating 43-43 draw with NSW Swifts in the pre-season tournament in Melbourne.
All eight teams have gathered at Parkville Stadium for the Suncorp Team Girls Cup, which runs Friday to Sunday with the defending champion Swifts and Lightning meeting in the opening match.
NSW looked comfortable at half-time with a 23-14 lead with England international Helen Housby in her usual fine touch.
But the Lightning, who finished fourth last season, rallied in the championship quarter, piling on 19 goals to the Swifts' eight to take a 33-31 lead.
Australian under 21 representative Batcheldor, who is yet to make her Super Netball debut, did plenty of damage at goal attack as did Diamonds goaler Steph Wood.
The teams went toe to toe in the final quarter with neither able to skip clear and bank the win, with Housby's shot to break the deadlock ruled too late.
Despite not starting the match Batcheldor finished with 13 goals from 14 attempts while making all four of her double-point super shots including draining a vital one in the final quarter with her foot barely inside the ring.
Wood added 10 goals from 11 attempts including three super shots.
Housby collected 19 goals from 21 attempts, with two from four super shots.
Jhaniele Fowler, Super Netball's player of the year for the last four seasons, dominated the scoring in West Coast Fever's 47-41 win over 2021 grand finalists Giants.
The Jamaican shooter made 37 of 39 goal attempts for the Fever as teammate Alice Teague-Neeld chipped in with four from six super shot attempts while Jo Harten (14/16 plus 3/5 super shots) and Sophie Dwyer (17/18 plus 2/3 super shots) spread the load more evenly for the Giants.
Down 10-8 after the first quarter, the Fever won all the remaining three quarters.
In other opening day matches, Melbourne Vixens defeated Queensland Firebirds 47-37 and Adelaide Thunderbirds beat Collingwood Magpies 45-30.
