Sunshine Coast Stuns Melbourne Vixens in Major Upset
Sunshine Coast delivered one of the biggest shocks of the Super Netball competition, defeating the top-of-the-ladder Melbourne Vixens for the first time this season. The Lightning, who started the round in sixth place, ended a three-game losing streak with a commanding 66-56 victory at the UniSC Arena, leaving their home fans thrilled.
The reigning champions, the Vixens, arrived in Queensland without three key players. Emily Mannix was ruled out due to illness, while Rudi Ellis and Hannah Mundy failed fitness tests. This absence created an opportunity for Maggie Caris to step in as a replacement for Mannix, alongside debutants Ally O’Connor and Ruby Pekin-Schlicht, who were included in the lineup.
Maggie Caris began at goal-keeper but struggled against Donnell Wallam, who scored 15 goals from 16 attempts, helping the Lightning take a 19-12 lead at quarter-time. It wasn’t just Caris who had a tough time; the Vixens, who had previously beaten the Lightning 70-59 in round four, were outplayed in the midcourt. Wing attack Leesa Mi Mi stood out as the player of the match.
Mi Mi shared her feelings about the victory, saying, “It felt amazing to topple the champions. I feel like we worked so hard at the start of the week and we had great conversations, and it’s just a great feeling.”
She emphasized that the win was a team effort: “It’s definitely not an individual effort — it’s a whole team effort and I love them for it. I feel like it’s a good confidence boost, and, yeah, let’s make top four.”
Goal threats Karin Burger and Courtney Bruce put significant pressure on the Vixens shooters, with Diamonds star Kiera Austin managing only 21 goals, converting at a low 72.4 per cent. Long-range specialist Lily Graham added two super shots late in the second term, but the Lightning still held a 33-24 lead at halftime.
The Vixens have traditionally dominated third quarters, but they fell further behind, trailing 49-36 heading into the final term. Coach Di Honey tried switching skipper Kate Moloney and Zara Walters between centre and wing attack to disrupt the Lightning’s ball movement, but it made little difference.
With goal-attack Cara Koenen contributing 18 goal assists and 11 goals for the match, the Lightning continued to dominate their lacklustre opponents. Donnell Wallam added another 13 goals, bringing her total for the match to 54 and strengthening her case for a recall to the Diamonds squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
