Caps Too Strong for Spirit in Back-and-Forth Battle

The UC Capitals have claimed a hard-fought 97–83 victory over the Bendigo Spirit in a back-and-forth contest on the road, with five Caps recording double figures. The win made for an extra special occasion, marking Nyadiew Puoch's 100th WNBL game.

Q1

Amy Atwell opened the scoring for the Caps, draining a three-pointer over the top of her defender Casey Samuels. Both sides took a moment to find their rhythm before Bendigo got on the board through a Jade Melbourne drive to the basket.

The game quickly developed into a fast-paced contest, with both teams trading opportunities at the offensive end. Atwell set the tone for the Caps' hustle, attacking the boards and fighting for rebounds, while Bendigo continued to draw fouls and capitalise at the free-throw line to stay within reach.

Georgia Booth made an immediate impact off the bench for the Spirit, sinking her first points of the season with a three-pointer. Melbourne continued to put pressure on the Caps' defence with aggressive drives to the basket, but Nicole Munger provided an instant spark off the bench for UC, knocking down two three-pointers in just 30 seconds.

Kelly Wilson answered from beyond the arc for the home side, keeping the Spirit in touch as the Caps took a six-point advantage into the first break.

UC Capitals 26 – Bendigo Spirit 20

Q2

Bendigo came out firing in the second quarter, with the experience of Kelsey Griffin and Marianna Tolo working alongside Melbourne to challenge the Caps' advantage and eventually put the Spirit in front for the first time in the contest.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Caps responded to level the scores midway through the quarter. Charlotte Whittaker stood tall for her team, working tirelessly on the boards against Bendigo's frontcourt, while Nyadiew Puoch continued to lead the offensive charge in her milestone game. Melbourne got to the foul line for the fifth time in the half but was hard to combat the combination of Munger and Puoch who held the Caps steady. Giving up just one turnover in the opening half, the Caps took a five-point advantage into the main break.

UC Capitals 47 – Bendigo Spirit 42

Half-time leaders:

Nyadiew Puoch: 15 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST

Nicole Munger: 10 PTS | 2 REB

‍

Jade Melbourne: 16 PTS | 5 REB | 2 AST

Casey Samuels: 5 PTS | 1 REB | 2 AST

Q3

The Caps came out firing from beyond the arc to open the second half, with Nyadiew Puoch, Sharne Robati and Amy Atwell each connecting from three-point range to give their side an early boost. However, the back-and-forth battle continued as Olivia Pollerd and Casey Samuels responded with triples of their own to keep the Spirit within striking distance.

Bendigo's momentum was disrupted by six turnovers in the opening five minutes, with the Caps quick to capitalise and push their advantage into double digits. But Jade Melbourne refused to let the Spirit slip away, continuing to attack the basket and keep her side in the contest as the lead fluctuated throughout the quarter.

The Spirit finished the quarter strongly, applying pressure to claim the final scoring opportunity and cut the deficit back to five points heading into the final term.

UC Capitals 66 – Bendigo Spirit 61

Q4

The fourth quarter opened with Isa Brancatisano cutting through the lanes to finish a hard-fought layup, before Atwell continued her hot shooting with another tough three-pointer over the outstretched hand of her defender.

Megan McConnell proved a jack of all trades for the Caps, pulling down important rebounds and creating opportunities for her teammates with a string of assists, putting herself on triple-double watch for the second consecutive week.

Bendigo refused to back down, with Abigail Wehrung finding her range from beyond the arc and Pollerd continuing to attack the basket to keep the pressure on. The Spirit's ball movement proved difficult for the Caps to contain, bringing the margin back to just four points midway through the quarter.

Nicole Munger remained composed to steady the Caps, while Manuela Puoch showcased her offensive versatility, getting to the free-throw line and connecting from long range. McConnell then delivered a crucial moment against her former side, drawing Jade Melbourne's fifth foul to send the Spirit's leading scorer to the bench.

The Caps held their nerve in the closing minutes to withstand Bendigo's late push, finishing with a 14-point victory and climbing to second on the WNBL ladder.

UC Capitals 97 – Bendigo Spirit 83

Nyadiew Puoch 26 PTS | 7 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK

Megan McConnell 16 PTS | 11 AST | 7 REB | 1 STL

Nicole Munger 15 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL

Jade Melbourne 24 PTS | 6 REB | 6 AST | 2 STL

Olivia Pollerd 16 PTS | 7 REB

Abigail Wehrung 12 PTS | 2 AST | 1 REB

‍

‍