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AAP
AAP
Sport
Steve Barrett

Giants equal record as Lightning crash

The Giants have finished all over the Sunshine Coast Lightning in their Super Netball match. (AAP)

The Giants have equalled the all-time Super Netball scoring record and sent a statement to their rivals by crushing Sunshine Coast Lightning 82-54 at USC Stadium.

With a top-four berth at the season's half-way mark on the line between the two sides, a tight match was anticipated on Sunday but the Giants, after a ragged start, ran riot.

Their score equalled the competition-best haul posted by West Coast Fever, also against the Lightning, in the season opener in March.

In defeating long-time bogey side Sunshine Coast for the first time since 2018, the Giants had winners all over the court.

Centre Jamie-Lee Price set the early tempo, Maddie Hay was tireless and creative at wing attack and Amy Brandley (seven rebounds, four deflections) led a miserly defence.

"We came here to do business," Brandley said.

"Staying in the moment was really important for us.

"I think we did a really good job to stay composed."

With Lightning defenders Tara Hinchliffe and Katie Walsh creating early havoc, the Giants fell behind 11-8 when coach Julie Fitzgerald called a timeout and implored her midcourt to avoid getting too wide and deep.

It proved a masterstroke.

The visitors silenced the crowd by going on an 11-0 tear and they never relented.

They shutdown the Lightning with an 18-11 second term before showing their wares offensively with a 26-14 third stanza, Jo Harten and Sophie Dwyer firing in the circle.

The hosts became frustrated with a plethora of turnovers and penalties, Lightning coach Kylee Byrne bemoaning: "We couldn't understand the amount of whistle we were getting".

The margin blew out to 62-35 in the third quarter and after Sunshine Coast showed some belated fight in the fourth, the Giants again surged, finishing powerfully with the last eight goals of the whitewash.

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