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The NSW Swifts have surged from behind to claim a 59-59 draw with the Melbourne Vixens in the third round of the Super Netball competition.
With 90 seconds left on the clock on Saturday night, the Vixens led by three goals and looked set to leap to second on the ladder.
But late goals to Amy Somerville and Sam Wallace quickly bridged the deficit, with Wallace sealing the draw with the final shot of the game.
In the second game of a double-header at Melboune’s Hisense Arena, it was the Vixens who had looked the better side for most of the night.
The home side led at every break and went into the final term with a four-point advantage.
Wallace, who finished with a game-high 43 from 54 shots, struggled for accuracy earlier in the game and lacked her usual dynamism for most of the night.
Vixens front-court duo Mwai Kumwenda (39 goals from 43 shots) and Tegan Phillip (20 from 23) impressed despite lacking height compared to the Swifts defenders, while wing attack Liz Watson snared a game-high 21 assists.
But it wasn’t enough to stop the Swifts from ruining the Vixens’ hopes of beating their interstate rivals for the first time since their premiership-winning year in 2014.
The round three clash had loomed as a golden opportunity to break their drought, with NSW sporting a new and largely inexperienced team and the Vixens boasting the most stable roster in the competition.