Warwick’s defensive duo of Laura Geitz and Clare McMeniman played a major part in setting up a Grand Final berth for the Queensland Firebirds in the ANZ Championship after they effectively shut down one of the world’s best shooters, Irene van Dyk, this week.
Geitz was possibly in career-best form with seven intercepts and eight deflections in the Major Semi-Final, leading her team to a convincing 50-39 victory over the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic at the Gold Coast on Monday night.
Geitz restricted van Dyk, one of the most prolific shooters in the competition, to only seven goals for three quarters of the match.
This was the Firebirds’ 14th win in a row, which broke the championship record of the most consecutive wins, previously held by NSW Swifts.
The Queensland side has now secured a home Grand Final on Sunday, May 22, which is already by far their best ever result in the ANZ Championship, after finishing fifth each year since the inception of the competition in 2008.
McMeniman, who grew up in Warwick, was pleased to be included in the starting line-up in the Major Semi-Final and to have the chance to pair up with the ANZ Championship player of the year, Laura Geitz.
“Hopefully, I can also contribute to the Grand Final and get an opportunity to get onto the court. That’s my focus at the moment,” she said.
McMeniman said the Firebirds were now representing not just Queensland, but Australia, as the other semi-finalists, the Magic and the Northern Mystics, are from New Zealand. The Magic and the Mystics will battle it out in the preliminary Final this weekend, with the winner to meet the Firebirds in the Grand Final.
Story: Rebecca Brown
