Australia 36
New Zealand 33
Australia's clinical shutdown of Silver Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk was labelled the turning point as the hosts ground out a win in a brutal third netball test here yesterday.
Australia celebrated captain Sharelle McMahon's 100th test with victory to go 2-1 up in the series with two matches remaining in New Zealand, before a full house at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Such was the torrid defence at both ends, it was the equal lowest combined score between the sides in a 60-minute contest, matching the 69 goals scored in Auckland last year.
But Australia's new netball star, 1.96m Western Australian Susan Fuhrmann, made the most impact as she restricted van Dyk to 16 from 22 shots at goal, just 73 per cent, when she usually tops 90.
"Irene was disappointed and it wasn't her best. They put us under an awful lot of pressure in that attacking circle," New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken said.
"She's got to find room to free herself up to use her dodges and Fuhrmann didn't provide her with that room.
"You'd have to say [that was the turning point], the fact Irene didn't have her best game, that's a tribute to [Fuhrmann]."
Aitken admitted she would have to look closely at 37-year-old van Dyk's spot as they look to build shooting depth, with Maria Tutaia and Paula Griffin a potential combination for the fourth test in Invercargill next Sunday.
There was outstanding defence from the reshuffled trio of captain Casey Williams, Katrina Grant and Joline Henry but the attacking end cost the Silver Ferns, whose intensity was much improved from their defeat in the second test loss in Melbourne.
Goal attack Griffin, 21, started her first test against Australia and was impressive in general play but shot 15 from 22. In a crucial call, Aitken injected Tutaia off the bench in the final quarter, the only change made by either coach as bodies hit the wooden floor regularly.
Tutaia struggled to adjust and shot two of six, as well as committing two key turnovers in the tense final minutes.
"We lost our nerve a bit on attack and it took a bit longer for Maria to settle than we'd hoped," Aitken said.
"And we just couldn't secure our turnover ball. We got plenty of ball on defence but we needed to nail it."
It was 18-18 at halftime and Australia led 28-27 entering the final quarter.
There was a crucial moment at 33-31, when New Zealand wing attack Temepara George rolled her ankle but had to move to the sideline because it was her second timeout of the quarter.
Australian shooter Susan Pratley rattled in two quick goals, the first with George absent, and the Silver Ferns were then too far adrift.
Pratley and McMahon hoisted five fewer shots than the New Zealanders but hit 80 per cent while van Dyk, Griffin and Tutaia made just 33 of 50 for 66 per cent.
Still, Aitken said her side were happy to be heading to Invercargill, one of the toughest places for visiting teams, and showed enough to suggest they could level the series.
- NZPA
