Six in a row — Victorian Institute of Sport

The Australian Diamonds locked away the Constellation Cup for a sixth straight year with a 58-47 victory in the decider over the Silver Ferns on Thursday.

In a defence consistently led by Victorian Institute of Sport’s Jo Weston, Diamonds Head coach Lisa Alexander said that the victory was set up by their early all-court defensive pressure.

‘I’m really, really thrilled. We threw the challenge out to the group and everyone knew they hadn’t put their best foot forward in Hamilton,’’ she said. ‘‘Tonight’s performance was much more like what we expect.’’

In their final outing before next year’s World Cup build-up, the Diamonds made a memorable statement by controlling all but the final quarter when the Silver Ferns scrambled to stage a mini fightback.

Concluding their successful 2018 international campaign on a high, having only lost two games the team was led by VIS scholarship holders Liz Watson, Jo Weston, Emily Mannix, Caitlin Thwaites and Kate Moloney.

Match Statistics

Q1: Diamonds 18 v Silver Ferns 13
Q2: Diamonds 14 v Silver Ferns 11
Q3: Diamonds 14 v Silver Ferns 9
Q4: Diamonds 12 v Silver Ferns 14

Diamonds starting seven
GS: Caitlin Bassett, GA: Gretel Tippett, WA: Kelsey Browne, C: Liz Watson, WD: Gabi Simpson, GD: Jo Weston, GK: Courtney Bruce.

Silver Ferns starting seven
GS: Maria Folau, GA: Te Paea Selby-Rickit, WA: Gina Crampton, C: Laura Langman, WD: Sam Sinclair, GD: Katrina Grant, GK: Jane Watson.

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The Victorian Institute of Sport acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on, the people of the Kulin Nation and recognise their continuing connection to this land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.