Maddy Gordon of the Silver Ferns and Liz Watson of the Diamonds tussle for the ball. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz
The Australian Diamonds have beaten the Silver Ferns by one goal in series decider time in Christchurch to regain the Constellation Cup.
A massive fourth quarter effort saw the Silver Ferns win the fourth test 62-57 to level the series 2-all and force a series decider.
The Ferns were trailing by three after the third quarter but vice captain Kelly Jackson came to the party when she tipped two goal attempts and forced a held ball.
The re-introduction of Georgia Heffernan at GA also brought calm to the New Zealand shooting end and the feeds into shooter Grace Nweke started flowing like water.
Australian coach Stacey Marinkovich made a raft of changes but the Silver Ferns held the momentum to win the quarter 19-11.
Grace Nweke was solid as a rock for the Silver Ferns scoring 56 goals at 95 percent.
The teams returned to court after a 12 minute break and the scores went back to zero.
New Zealand jumped out to a 3-nil start but a Sunday Aryang turnover seemed to kick Australia into life and before long it was level.
Maddy Gordon and Kate Heffernan battled cramp and had to go to the sideline during the additional time period.
Australia took a 7-5 lead at half-time of the series decider time, which is made up of two seven minute halves.
With two minutes left, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan won a critical tip on the transverse line and Nweke levelled the scores 11-all with just 1 minute and 20 seconds left on the clock.
But the Diamonds milked the clock perfectly to win the series decider time 12-11.
There was a sombre mood after the final whistle with Aryang caught up in a hail mary pass to Nweke on the final second, which saw her fall to the ground in pain.
This will go down as a hugely encouraging series from the Silver Ferns, given the level of pressure the side has been under.
After the Diamonds won the first two games by 17 goals it looked like the Silver Ferns had little chance of holding on to the cup that they won for just the third time last year.
Early last weekend, the Silver Ferns players learnt that coach Dame Noeline Taurua was being reinstated after a tumultuous six weeks for the side.
On Sunday, the Silver Ferns flipped the script with an impressive nine goal win in the third Test in Hamilton.
With the Diamonds leading 33-27 at half-time in Christchurch, interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie made the same changes she did that worked well in the third Test.
Maddy Gordon moved to WA, and Kate Heffernan up to C. In the defensive end, Burger slid to WD and Catherine Hall came on at GD.
More defensive intensity from the Silver Ferns saw them close in on Australia, with Hall making an instant impact.
Hall, who only debuted last month, has been the find of the series playing at GD and it looks like a long Silver Ferns career beckons.
The Silver Ferns won the third quarter by three, with the visitors holding a slim 46-43 lead at the final turn before New Zealand really kicked into life.
The Silver Ferns will have a short rest before heading to the UK to play tests against Scotland and England.
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