The floor was so soaked with sweat the game had to keep stopping and then it went in to overtime as a finals-shaping thriller went down to the wire.
The final four is set but the favourite for the Super Netball title is anything but settled after perennial contenders Sunshine Coast Lighting locked in another finals campaign with a thrilling one goal extra-time win over the Giants.
A super-shot spree by the Giants almost secured them top spot on the ladder with a game to go before star Lighting shooter, Peace Proscovia scored the game-winner with just seconds left after the game went in to overtime.
Level scores at the end of extra-time would have meant a draw, but instead the Queensland outfit locked in a fifth-consecutive finals appearance and sent a message to the other three teams that will now battle for the 2021 title.
“I’m so exhausted, I don’t even know what happened,” Lightning midcourtner Mahalia Cassidy said after a frantic final few minutes which saw two consecutive super shots from Giants young star Sophie Dwyer level the scores in normal time to push the match in to the extra period.
“It was such a full 60, 65 minutes and it was so important for us to make finals.”
Both teams will have to back up for their final regular season games on Saturday, with the top four teams all playing each other in matches which will determine the final make up of the ladder.
The Giants would have taken a big step towards securing top spot with a win over the Lightning, and had the ball for most of the final 40 seconds.
But with scores level an offensive contact penalty against Dwyer, who had shot an amazing six of seven goals from super shot range to that point, turned the ball over with less than 20 seconds to go.
The Lightning then swiftly moved the ball up court, where Proscovia nailed the game winner.
Both teams suffered injuries in the clash, with Giants defender April Brandley forced off the court after rolling her ankle.
Lightning attacker Steph Wood also went down with a knee injury and the availability of the two players is yet to be determined.
Cassidy said all teams were feeling the pinch with playing back-to-back games after the season had to be condensed because of Covid dramas last which forced a full weekend of games to be postponed.
“It’s really hard at the moment but all the teams are in the same boat, we are all struggling together,” she said.
“It felt like one of the longest games, we just had to keep wiping the floor(because of sweat). It was really physical.”
“But now we really want to get that one last win and get momentum going in to the finals.”
The Lightning will play the Swifts on Saturday, with the Giants set to take on the Fever in the final game of the season.