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News
Cricket’s record breaker -- Karen Rolton (29 September)
 While Ricky Ponting is a household name in Australia, mention Karen Rolton and you very likely will be met with a blank expression. Yet Rolton, the current captain of the Australian International Women’s Cricket team, has been an intrinsic part of the Australian team for the last decade. (Click here to read the full profile.)
Soccer players under the microscope (28 September)
Women soccer players are to be studied by a New Zealand academic, Dr Ajmol Ali of Massey University. Dr Ali recently told NZ radio that women athletes sweat less than their male counterparts and therefore fluid recommendations may well be different. He said this is part of an overall effort to increase study of women’s sport.
Link to the researcher’s home page
Pay dispute resolved -- or maybe not (27 September)
A simmering pay dispute involving the national netball team is reported to have been resolved by TVNZ and to be still on the boil by the NZ Herald.
Though largely ignored here, it has been a hot topic in New Zealand, which gives much greater coverage to the sport and, coincidentally, pays its players a great deal more.
TVNZ reports: President Noeleen Dix says both parties ended last night's negotiations fully aware of the other's positions and were able to come to an agreement this morning.
TVNZ report, NZ Herald report
Elite coaching symposium in October (26 September)
From Netball Australia: Sport Knowledge Australia, based at Sydney Olympic Park is conducting an Elite Coaching Symposium from October 30 to November 2.
The focus for this course will be on practical applications to elite sport coaching using problem solving approaches. The symposium is designed specifically for coaches already working at an elite level. It will be assumed that participants have access to high quality sport science services with a focus on how coaches can best utilise these resources. There will be a strong emphasis on the skills required to manage a team of expert support staff in order to maximise athlete performance. Participants will benefit from high quality learning experiences featuring the latest international research presented by leading experts.
Sport Knowledge Australia website
Webb walks away with fourth win (25 September)
 From the LGPA: Heading into yesterday's final round with a five-stroke lead, it appeared Australian Karrie Webb had her fourth win of the season wrapped up. However, when Annika Sorenstam's name is on the leaderboard—even with a six-stroke deficit—nothing is guaranteed. As Sorenstam (70-70-69-65=274, -14) waited near the scoring tent, Webb (67-70-66-70=273, -15)—just a group behind—sank a two-foot par putt on the 72nd hole of the Longs Drugs Challenge for a one-stroke victory and the $165,000 winner's check.
Webb's five-stroke lead after 54 holes matches the lead she had going into the final round of the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, and ended up winning by seven strokes, the largest margin this season. But Sorenstam's field-low 65 (-7) gave Webb a run for her money. The tournament was the 15th event this season that has been decided by one stroke or a playoff.
“Today was a great day. I loved it. It's just a lot of fun,” said Sorenstam, who leads the Tour with 14 top-10 finishes in 17 starts. “You really have to do something when the opportunity is right there. I could have gone out and shot 1 under or 2 under, it wouldn't have meant as much. There are birdie opportunities, but if you don't hit it in the right place, this course can get you. I'm sure I had her heart pumping a little bit, which is my goal and to walk away with a good finish, I'm happy.”
Webb lit up the 6212-yard course early with birdies on holes two and three, which Sorenstam matched on three and four. But as Sorenstam went on to birdie the 155-yard par-3 seventh, Webb followed with a double bogey and the chase began.
“The first six holes, I was cruising along,” said Webb who has not won four tournaments in a season since she won seven in 2000. “I really probably should have been 4 under through the first six today. I let everybody back in when I doubled seven. So from there, it was game on.”
Full LGPA report
Opals on top of the world (23 September)
 From Basketball Australia: Australia finally stands alone at the summit of women's basketball after the Opals crushed Russia 91-74 in the final of the world championship in Brazil today.
The Opals have placed in the top three nations at every Olympic Games and world championships since 1996, but this is the first time any senior Australian side has laid its hands on a gold medal at the highest level, not discounting the Australian women's Intellectually Disabled basketball team that won gold at the 1992 Paralympics in Greece.
Penny Taylor was again the star of the show, finishing with 28 points to earn tournament MVP honours ahead of teammate Lauren Jackson and Russian Maria Stepanova, who was a distant third in voting.
Taylor's effort was even more impressive considering she carried a groin injury over the second half of the tournament, but she was the glue that held the Opals together during their history-making run.
Australia was the only team to make it through the entire tournament undefeated.
The United States had won gold medals at all major tournaments since the Atlanta Olympics, when Australia made its breakthrough with a bronze medal.
America's semi-final defeat to Russia, coupled with Australia's improved form in every outing during the tournament, allowed a new world order to emerge.
Full Basketball Australia report; Pic: FIBA.com
Russia stuns USA in basketball champs (22 September)
From Basketball Australia: Russia beat the two-time defending champion United States 75-68 in the semifinals of the women's World Championship on Thursday night, snapping the Americans' 26-game winning streak in the event, espn.com reports.
Russia took advantage of poor shooting and sloppy ball-handling by the US to take a 58-38 lead after three quarters. The Americans closed to 73-68 with 45 seconds left, but after two missed free throws by Oxana Rakhmatulina with 30 seconds to go, the U.S. took up almost all of the 24-second shot clock and Candace Parker missed a layup with 12 seconds left.
Click for the full story at Basketball Australia
Opals beat France (21 September)
 From Basketball Australia: The Defence Jobs Opals have advanced to the semi finals of the 2006 FIBA world basketball championship for women in Sao Paulo yesterday after a resounding 13 point defeat of upstart France, 79-66.
Lauren Jackson top scored for Australia with 19 points and 11 rebounds. She leads the tournament in scoring and is third in rebounding. Penny Taylor scored 18 points while Jennifer Screen and Jenny Whittle scored 7 points each in support.
Sandrine Gruda scored 15 points to lead France.
The Aussie victory sets up a rematch with host nation Brazil, who defeated the Czech Republic 75-51. The Opals defeated Brazil in the Group stage by 11 points, 83-72. Full story at Basketball Australia
Cricket gossip (20 September)
From Cricinfo: The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) has confirmed the integration of women's cricket into its state association after being ratified at the SACA's annual general meeting.
From Somerset County Gazette (UK): Somerset’s County Ground has been named the new home of English Women's Cricket before the start of the first day of the Test match against India
From the Northern Advocate (NZ): Northern Districts cricket officials are floating the idea of staging eight-a-side provincial matches as a way of breathing new life into the women's cricket scene, a plan that Northland cricket may replicate at schoolgirl level this season.
Undefeated Opals thrash Argentina (18 September)
Australia put the finishing touches on its unbeaten march to the women's basketball world championship quarter-finals today with a brutal 83-49 thrashing of Argentina in Brazil.
The Opals (6-0 record) now have a welcome rest day before an unexpected knock-out clash on Wednesday local time with traditional powerhouse Russia (3-3), who have had a surprisingly poor tournament to date.
The Australians were without stand-out guard Kristi Harrower, who stayed in her hotel room nursing a stomach complaint, but still had far too many weapons as coach Jan Stirling gave her bench players some extended court-time.
Harrower should be fine for the quarter-final showdown with the highly-skilled and still dangerous Russians, who are the defending world championship silver medallists.
Argentina had no answer for Lauren Jackson, who tallied an almost effortless 30-point haul to remain the tournament's leading scorer.
Full story at Basketball Australia
Wie is damaging women’s golf (18 September)
From The Age: A leading Australian tour official has warned teenage American Michelle Wie's infatuation with the men's tour is damaging to women's golf.
Full story
 Russia takes athletics cup (17 September)
From the IAAF World Cup in Athens: Russia retained the women’s title it won for the first time in Madrid four years ago, making a decisive break in the second-last event when Liliya Shobukhova’s second-pace behind Meseret Defat of Africa in the 5000 metres gained four precious points over Sabrina Mockenhaupt who finished sixth for Europe. Third against fourth in the 4x400 made it a nine-point final margin. The Americas finished third.
World Cup website (pictured)
Opals given hollow victory (13 September)
From the Opals web: Lithuania has officially forfeited its opening women's basketball world championship match against Australia in Brazil after failing to reach the Ibirapuera Arena in time for tip-off.
The teams were due to meet at 5.30pm local time today (6.30am Wednesday AEST), but a vaccination issue forced the Lithuanians to miss the game.
The Opals have been awarded a 2-0 victory and the two points for the forfeit and next face Senegal at 7.45pm tomorrow (8.45am Thursday AEST).
They will now have one less game than main rivals the United States and Russia as the tournament progresses towards the medal rounds.
"We told the girls at a team meeting and they were troopers, they took it on the chin," Opals team manager Marian Stewart told BA Media's James Dampney.
"Sure they're disappointed, but we'll train for half an hour on the court and have a scrimmage and they'll wait and play tomorrow.
"But it's one game less and we needed as many games as we could get under our belt."
Full story
Sport gossip (13 September)
From The Age: Television networks would be paid by the Federal Government to broadcast women's sporting events under a proposal aimed at boosting media coverage.
From the Gold Coast Bulletin: Daphne Pirie has devoted her life to sport as one of Australia's finest athletes and as an administrator and promoter of women's sport but there is a lot more to this Gold Coast sporting pioneer.
From the Lynnwood Journal, USA: On July 22 a group of women gathered at Marymoor Park to play a game that looked somewhat like basketball, but wasn't. Their crisp accents reflected Commonwealth countries around the world. Spectators gathered to watch and wonder just what game they were playing. That Saturday marked the official debut of netball in the Northwest.
Australia vs Lithuania despite scare (12 September)
From the Opals web: Australia expects its opening match of the women's basketball world championships to go ahead tomorrow against a Lithuanian team making a last-minute dash to Brazil due to a vaccination bungle.
A cancelled flight from French Martinique meant Lithuania was forced to travel via French Guyana to reach Brazil.
But Brazilian law requires travellers from French Guyana to have yellow fever vaccinations, something Lithuania hadn't considered as it tried to find any way to arrive safely at the world championship site.
Having landed in northern Brazil, the Europeans were sent back to French Guyana, throwing major doubt over their ability to compete at the tournament.
But Opals coach Jan Stirling expects the incident to have little impact on the Europeans, who Australia is scheduled to face at 5.30pm local time tomorrow (6.30am Wednesday AEST).
"As far as we're concerned they've got a charter flight, they're just waiting for the paper work and they'll be here tomorrow morning," Stirling said.
"They're European-based players so they've often dealt with planes not arriving or delays, so I'm sure they'll be out to give us a tough game."
The incident cast an element of doubt on an otherwise solid build-up for the Australians, who are outright second favourites for the gold medal.
may move into the second round of the women's basketball world championships without bouncing a ball after a vaccination mix-up involving first round opponent Lithuania.
Full story
Netball Oz moves to Melbourne (11 September)
Netball Australia is relocating its national headquarters to Melbourne in early 2007.
The board voted to shift the national office from Harris Park in Sydney in a bid to strengthen corporate and media alliances that were highly beneficial for the sport’s growth and financial prosperity.
An initiative of the Victorian Government, Netball Australia`s intended move to Melbourne has also attracted considerable support from the AFL which is keen to further strengthen their links with the nation’s most popular women’s sport.
“It’s a very positive move for our sport both financially and strategically,” Netball Australia President, Noeleen Dix said.
“Melbourne will enhance existing strategic partnerships with government, the corporate sector and the media industry and offer new opportunities that will be of great benefit for netball."
Source: Netball Australia
Sharapova takes US Open (10 September)
 From the US Open tennis site: Since taking the women's tennis world by storm two summers ago with a scintillating run to the Wimbledon title, she climbed the rankings, won several Sony Ericsson WTA Tour titles and became her own brand. But she was a perennial semifinalist at the majors, a trend that evoked doubt as to whether or not she would ever reach that pinnacle again. Then, on a magical Saturday night in New York, the nay-sayers were finally put to rest; with a resounding, straight set championship win over Justine Henin-Hardenne, Maria Sharapova captured the 2006 US Open.
As she has done at all majors in the last two seasons (with the exception of Roland Garros), Sharapova lived up to her Top 4 seeding relatively easily during the Flushing fortnight, her biggest hurdles prior to the semifinals coming against China's Li Na and France's Tatiana Golovin in the fourth round and quarterfinals, respectively. The No.3 seed still managed to defeat them both in straight sets.
The Russian's Grand Slam renaissance began in the semifinals. Staring down an 0-3 head-to-head against Amélie Mauresmo (the reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, as well as the world's No.1), Sharapova came out firing, taking the opening set at love. After allowing the second set to go her opponent's way, she conjured up her best form again, cruising to a 60 46 60 victory.
Then there was the triumph over Henin-Hardenne, who, like Mauresmo, had been one of her nemeses over the last few years. She had lost their last four meetings, and things seemed headed the same way early on as Henin-Hardenne jumped out, 2-0. But Sharapova played her way back into the set, eventually breaking serve again in the ninth game before serving it out in the 10th. The two women held tightly to their serve in the second set, but again it was Sharapova who came through with a break in the seventh game, holding serve the rest of the way en route to the 64 64 victory over the world's No.2-ranked player.
"Coming into the match, I felt pretty relaxed," Sharapova said. "Although I lost the first two games, I didn't worry about it. I was pretty positive about the whole thing. I was excited to be in the final of a Grand Slam, and thought I would enjoy the opportunity, the moment of it, keep fighting until the end. That's what I did."
Full story at the US Open
Plus…
Defending champion and former world No.1 Lindsay Davenport will continue her remarkable comeback at the Wismilak International, a Tier III hardcourt event in Bali, South East Asia.
After being sidelined for four months due to a back injury, Davenport made a successful return to Sony Ericsson WTA Tour competition this summer when she reached the final of New Haven and the quarters of the US Open. In her first appearance last year, she dominated the field and claimed her 48th of 51 Tour singles titles here without dropping a set. Seeded third this year, her first opponent is Galina Voskoboeva. Davenport is also playing doubles for the first time since 2005 Wimbledon. She is teaming up with compatriot Corina Morariu, with whom she has won four Tour doubles titles, including Wimbledon.
Full story
Media jugheads hurt women’s sport – Lundy (9 September)
 Sentor Kate Lundy (pictured) has complained bitterly about what she describes as sexist unfair treatment of women’s sport by the Australian media, during the tabling of a Senate committee report into the state of women’s sport and recreation.
She said: “Women’s sports find it almost impossible to get regular coverage for a couple of reasons.
“First, the commercial risk by TV broadcasters, free and pay alike is considered too high. This is because it is perceived that women’s sport does not rate high enough to attract advertising and therefore revenue to offset production costs and the cost of the rights. When existing sports programming is jammed full of very high quality footy, cricket and other proven rating content, there is very little commercial incentive to try something new like a range of women’s national leagues.
“Because the coverage is not there, the sponsorships are less lucrative. Because sponsorship revenue is limited, the sport is less able to purchase coverage to demonstrate rating credibility and therefore little chance to attract the interest of media buyers and hence break the vicious circle it is very frustrating as I said.
“Second is the appalling ongoing sexism perpetuated by many media jugheads who seem to derive some pleasure from denigrating female athletes and their sports. This immature and unintelligent approach is reinforced by commercial decisions in networks that see less than 2 % of women’s sport on our TV.
“I say immature and unintelligent because there is ample evidence that not only does women’s sport rate, it rates strongly when a quality product is produced and promoted well. Netball Zealand has a product which attracts 20-30% audience share for weekly national league games and up to two thirds of audience share for finals and international matches. At the Olympic and Commonwealth Games to use an event example we also see female athletes rate equally as well as the men, if not better.”
Full speech; Report
Mauresmo & Henin-Hardenne survive in Open (7 September)
 The world's Top 2 took the court Wednesday, as the quarterfinals continued at the US Open. Amélie Mauresmo withstood the heavy hitting of a Russian youngster on the verge of the Top 10 while Justine Henin-Hardenne went toe-to-toe with one of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's all-time greats; both notched straight set wins to reach the semifinals.
On paper, the toughest quarterfinal draw was given to Henin-Hardenne, who was dealt Lindsay Davenport second up on Arthur Ashe. Despite coming in ranked 11th in the world and seeded a lowly No.10, Davenport was arguably one of the most dangerous players in the singles draw, having won this title before, along with a pair of titles at other Grand Slams.
But it was the No.2-seeded Henin-Hardenne who was able to put on the more consistent display of aggressive tennis on the big stage. She smacked a total of 24 winners to just 10 unforced errors, as Davenport hit seven more errors than winners. Additionally, while Davenport could not recover after going down a break in the first set, the Belgian battled back valiantly in the early stages of the second set, coming back from a 3-1 deficit and grabbing the critical break in the penultimate game before serving it out at love. It lasted one hour, 28 minutes.
"There are no surprises in our games; we know each very other well," stated Henin-Hardenne, who matched her offense with flashy retrieving. "Lindsay played a great match, at an unbelievable level. I had to raise my level. I knew I could lose if I was just a bit under this level. It was a very good test for me."
Full story at US Open
Plus…
For over two hours under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night, Maria Sharapova and Tatiana Golovin shone as they played the last of four US Open quarterfinals. While Sharapova belted monstrous serves and big groundstrokes, Golovin fired ferocious forehands and showed gritty retrieving; and in the end, it couldn't have been more even. But like she has done so many times, Sharapova stepped up at the most critical of junctures, clinching two tie-breaks to advance to the 2006 US Open semifinals, 76(4) 76(0).
Sharapova's grit first came through as she served 5-6 in the opening set. Falling behind 15-40, she saved two set points with some gutsy play to take it to a tie-break. Once there, she went ahead 3-0. After taking a medical timeout for a foot blister, Golovin evened it up to 4-all; but still, Sharapova was as tough as nails, reeling off three consecutive points to clinch the set in one hour, 18 minutes.
The second set was nearly a mirror image of the first. The pair traded breaks twice, Golovin rallying back from a 5-3 deficit to eventually take it to a tie-break. But Sharapova started right where she had left off in the first, racing through the last seven points of the match to complete the two-hour, 11-minute win.
"The only frustration there is coming off a match is realizing little things you could have done differently and things that were in your hands in order to win," stated Sharapova after the match. "But I play tennis because I love the challenge of it. I love challenges in life, not just on the tennis court. Most people outside, people that go on to watch a match, might not even know anything about tennis, they just see the challenges you get, the opportunities maybe you didn't take or the opportunities you took, the ups and downs in a match."
Full story at US Open
Jankovic gets a dream run (6 September)
From the US tennis Open: Once one of the fieriest emerging stars on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, her flame was all but burning out in the spring. But a run on Roman clay turned things around and now, on one of the world's biggest stages, Jelena Jankovic has reasserted herself as one of the grittiest competitors on the circuit, powering her way into the US Open semifinals Tuesday with a surprisingly easy 6/2 6/1 quarterfinal upset over No.4-seeded Elena Dementieva.
Playing the first match up on the Arthur Ashe, the No.19-seeded Jankovic was solid in just about every department, cracking serves and groundstrokes with tremendous pace and running down everything Dementieva could throw at her. But most importantly, she held her nerve at the two closing junctures of the match; after squandering two set points while leading 5-1, she managed a break in the next game to secure the first set, then in the last game of the match held her nerve despite losing three match points, clinching it on her fourth.
"I don't know what happened," said Jankovic in disbelief. "I played quite solidly, aggressively and didn't allow her to play her game. I also returned well. I was not nervous. I was excited. It's tough to play when you're feeling like that. But it's my first time in the quarters; I guess it's normal. I'm so excited to be in the semis."
US Open link
Catch 22 for 30% quota (5 September)
 The average AFL player will earn over $200,000 in 2007, with top players commanding over $1 million. Meanwhile, an elite netball player is lucky to receive a salary of $4000. While male athletes are revered as national heroes, women’s sport continues to struggle for funding, sponsorship, recognition and participation at grassroots levels.
A recent submission to the Federal Government’s inquiry into women in sport and recreation argued that, to address these problems, the media should devote a mandatory 30% of sport coverage to women’s sport. The idea is that more media coverage would lead to more sponsorship, better role models and, eventually, equality for women’s sport. But the suggestion has sparked debate about the media’s role – should it merely reflect market forces or does it have a social responsibility as well? (By Anna Lycett) Click here to read the full story.
Henin-Hardenne breaks through fourth round (5 September)
From the US Tennis website: OpenJustine Henin-Hardenne has had somewhat of a fourth round jinx here at the US Open. Aside from her one title run in 2003, she has fallen in the round of 16 in every year since 2000 - until this year. The Belgian continued her demolition path Monday in the hunt for her sixth career Grand Slam title, routing Israeli up-and-comer Shahar Peer, 6/1 6/0.
Henin-Hardenne was in total command throughout the 50-minute encounter, dictating play with serves that often exceeded 110mph and a barrage of deep groundstrokes loaded with topspin to keep Peer at bay. The last game was a microcosm of the match; the Belgian fired two flashy winners, benefitted from one last unforced error from her opponent, then snuck into net to put away a backhand volley, and the match. It was her 21st winner of the day, having hit just six unforced errors.
"I knew it could be a tough match; that's probably why I won it pretty easily, because I was ready for it," said Henin-Hardenne, who was playing Peer for the first time. "I walked on court thinking it could be dangerous because she's a young player and has a lot of motivation. She's fighting a lot. So, I had a lot of determination. I went to the net a lot, did a couple of serve-and-volleys. I played an aggressive game. I'm very happy about what happened on the court."
Full story at the US Open site
Plus…
From the day the draw was made, tennis fans all over the world were salivating at the prospect of a fourth round duel between Amélie Mauresmo and Serena Williams. Both players battled their way through to the much-anticipated encounter, and on Monday night the two put on a display much more suited to the later rounds, with Mauresmo toughing out the first set and regrouping after a disastrous second set to prevail, 6/4 0/6 6/2.
Full story
Swifts dominate Australian squad selection (4 September)
Every available player from the Sydney Swifts has been selected for the national netball squad, after the Sydney team won the national championship.
The squad is: Catherine Cox, Liz Ellis, Mo'onia Gerrard, Selina Gilsenan, Kimberlee Green, Susan Pratley (Sydney Swifts); Bianca Chatfield, Natasha Chokljat, Julie Prendergast, Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); Rebecca Strachan (Melbourne Kestrels); Lauren Nourse (Queensland Firebirds); Kristen Heinrich, Natalie Medhurst, Laura Von Bertouch, Natalie Von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds).
Netball Australia
Sorenstam wins the farm (4 September)
 Annika Sorenstam made her 69th career victory a memorable one on Sunday carding an electrifying 10-under-par 62 in the final round of the State Farm Classic to win by two shots. Sorenstam overcame a five-shot deficit and tied the LPGA Tour record for the lowest final round by a winner and also ties a tournament record for the lowest round.
“I feel really good right now. I knew I had to post a low score, but I didn't know how low, and how low I would be able it go,” said Sorenstam, who has earned $1,576,450 this year and currently ranks third on the ADT Official Money List behind Lorena Ochoa and Karrie Webb. “To come from five behind, and to win by two, it's pretty amazing. It's something that I'm going to remember for quite sometime.”
Full story at LPGA Tour
Davenport hangs on in US Open (3 September)
(Tennis) Staring down a one set, one break deficit, she turned on the steamroll switch to even things up and pull ahead by a break in the third. Shortly after giving up that break, she never said die when saving two match points, trailing 6-5. Coming in after some abbreviated summer preparation, Lindsay Davenport displayed her fighting spirit in a backlogged encounter against Katarina Srebotnik on Sunday, winning 36 63 76(5) to reach the second week at her favorite major, the US Open.
In a match that was originally scheduled for Friday night and was pushed further back as rains persisted through Saturday, the two players were first up on the Grandstand court, and put on a serving display early on, both holding serve easily through the first seven games. But that's when Srebotnik kicked into gear and drew first blood. She broke Davenport's serve twice in winning five of the next six games, closing out the first set and going ahead 3-1 in the second set.
"It was tough today," said Davenport about her play early on. "It was just one of those days I didn't feel I was hitting the ball all that cleanly. Even down 6-3, 3-1, I tried so hard to come back and win the second set, which I was able to do."
Full story at US Open site
Hjorth holds US golf tour lead (2 September)
From the LPGA: Maria Hjorth holds a one-shot lead over Il Mi Chung and rookie Seon-Hwa Lee going into Sunday's final round at the State Farm Classic. Hjorth, who is currently at 14-under-par 202, shot a 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to go with rounds of 65 and 67 in the first and second rounds, respectively. She will look for her third career LPGA Tour victory and her first since the 1999 season. That year she won the first two tournaments of her career, the SAFECO Classic and the Mizuno Classic. Hjorth's best finish this season came at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay, the first official tournament on the LPGA Tour schedule, where she tied for 13th place. She also finished 14th recently at the Evian Masters.
More form the LPGA
Swifts power to netball final victory (1 September)
 The Sydney TAB Swifts powered to victory on the back of superb shooting and pressure defence to capture their third Commonwealth Bank Trophy title with a commanding 29 goal win, 65-36 over the Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre. To cap off a memorable night for the Swifts, the 2006 premiers became the first team in the history of the 10-year competition to go through undefeated in a season.
It was a fitting finale to a dominant year, with the Swifts inspired after their upset loss in 2005 and by the enormous grit and resolve of Ellis and Gerrard, who had overcame knee reconstructions to join their team mates in chasing premiership glory.
Ellis, who has been in career-best form was at her tenacious best in defence and took out the ‘Player of the Grand Final’ award.
A perfect start by the Sydney Swifts shooters set the tone early, with the experienced campaigner Cath Cox nailing a flawless 11-goal opening term. Not to be outdone, young shooter Susan Pratley was in awesome touch under the post, with a 26-goal haul at 100% in her first grand final appearance.
With Gerrard, Broadbent and Gilsenan forming an impenetrable defensive wall across court, the Thunderbird midcourt struggled to find space. Goal shooter, Kristen Heinrich was forced to come out of the circle, with Ellis breathing down her neck, just to help carry the ball.
Starved of opportunities, the Thunderbirds failed to make any inroads on the scoreboard after quarter time, trailing by nine goals at the major break, 28-19, and by a crushing 22 goals at the last change.
Thunderbirds coach Marg Angove reshuffled her team at half time, making seven positional changes in an effort to turn back the surging Swifts. But the home team answered with an emphatic 21-goal quarter to secure victory and snuff out any counterattack.
“We just struggled to get the ball into our shooters,” Thunderbirds coach, Marg Angove said.
“They were very physical and we couldn’t match them.
“In defence, we were chasing them all night. But, it wasn’t just one area, it was all over the court.”
It was the most impressive performance by the Swifts in recent years and one they will cherish.
“This win just makes up for so much, for all the things that went before,” a beaming Ellis said.
“It finishes off a great season. We’ve been in such good form and this felt on court the best performance by us since the 2001 grand final,” she said.
“I’m absolutely rapt, it feels very good at the moment,” Swifts coach, Julie Fitzgerald said.
Source: Netball Australia
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