Netball: Pulse lose to Swifts

Shooters Donna Wilkins and Irene van Dyk, above, score their goals at an efficient clip. Photo / Getty Images

Playing across the Tasman continues to be a struggle for the Central Pulse.

They were beaten 63-45 by the NSW Swifts in Sydney tonight, as they were picked off in an error-riddled performance where they committed far too many turnovers.

The Pulse have never won in Australia and when the Swifts led by as many as 12 early in the third quarter on the back of an eight-goal run, that hoodoo was never going to end for the visitors.

Feeding their veteran shooting circle continues to be an issue for the Pulse. Shooters Donna Wilkins (13/16) and Irene van Dyk (32/34) score their goals at an efficient clip but getting the ball in to them is a problem.

Both players like to get to the comfort of the baseline and mid-courters Elias Shadrock and Camilla Lees are continuing to work on their connections with their shooters.

After they were upset by the Tactix in Napier last week, the Pulse needed to bounce back with a strong performance and this limp effort will have been disappointing for coach Robyn Broughton.

Swifts defenders April Letton and Sharni Layton were particularly abrasive and were a dominant force in stopping the ball getting in to the Pulse's shooting circle with their tight marking.

At the other end of the court, the Pulse were unable to shut down the Swifts shooters and they rarely forced turnovers.

Former Pulse shooter Caitlin Thwaites, who was moved on by the Wellington-based franchise in the off-season as they recruited van Dyk, was dominant for the Swifts as she ended the game with 30 goals from 36 attempts.

Thwaites was well-supported by goal attack Susan Pratley (27/30) and the biggest problem for the Pulse was they were unable to stop the Swifts outside of the circle.

English import Ama Agbeze provided Broughton with something to think about with regards to her selections for their next outing after she provided an energetic shift at goal keep in the second spell.

Reliable goal defence Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit was sent to the bench for Agbeze for the third quarter as skipper Katrina Grant pushed out from goal keep and it gave the Pulse a more mobile look in defence.

Broughton shuffled the deck again for the fourth quarter as Grant went to wing defence and Selby-Rickit returned at goal defence but they couldn't stop a rampant Swifts side.

The victory saw the Swifts consolidate second place on the ladder, while the Pulse remain outside the top four in sixth and the heavy defeat was damaging for their goal differential.

NSW Swifts 63 (Caitlin Thwaites 30/36, Susan Pratley 27/30, Gretel Tippett 6/11)
Central Pulse 45 (Irene van Dyk 32/34, Donna Wilkins 13/16) 1Q: 16-15, Halftime: 33-27, 3Q: 50-36