Venom Strikes Down Lightning to Claim First Win of The Season

The Geelong Venom have burst to life in WNBL26, storming past the Adelaide Lightning 110–76 in front of a roaring home crowd at Geelong Arena on Saturday night.

Behind a blistering offensive display from WNBA draftees Mackenzie Holmes and Jaz Shelley, Geelong became the first team this season to hit triple figures, shaking off a slow start to dominate the final three quarters and notch their first win of the campaign.

Holmes was unstoppable inside, pouring in 33 points and six rebounds, while Shelley lit it up from deep with 25 points and five assists. Their combined scoring punch powered a stunning second-quarter turnaround after the Venom had trailed by 13.

Victory came despite the absence of import forward Alissa Pili, sidelined for at least five weeks with an ankle injury suffered in Round 1. Coach Chris Lucas praised his team’s adaptability under pressure.

“I make sure players can play multiple roles, and we asked Alex Sharp to play the four spot today,” Lucas said. “We’ve got flexibility, and I’m just really pleased for the girls. We can still clean up some things at both ends, but we’re getting better.”

Sharp played her part alongside Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard, who hit the shot of the night — a long three from well beyond the arc as the shot clock expired, sending the home fans into a frenzy.

For Adelaide, it was another frustrating evening despite solid performances from Steph Talbot (16 points, three steals) and young guard Dallas Loughridge (18 points, four assists). The Lightning led early but couldn’t contain Geelong’s shooting avalanche, conceding a 20-point run midway through the second quarter.

Coach Kerryn Mitchell admitted her side lacked defensive consistency. “It’s hard to beat a team that shoots 65 per cent from three,” she said. “We got stagnant on offence, and when we weren’t getting stops, we couldn’t run. Other players need to step up when Steph goes to the bench.”

The Lightning had looked sharp early, leading by nine at quarter-time and stretching the margin to 13 before Shelley’s back-to-back threes flipped the momentum. Geelong surged to a 48–38 halftime lead, then exploded again in the third as Holmes dominated the paint and Shelley rained down more triples to push the lead beyond 20.

By the final quarter, it was all Venom — relentless, efficient, and impossible to stop.

Geelong move to 1–1 on the season and will look to build on the win next week, while Adelaide return home still searching for their first victory of WNBL26.

Final score: Geelong Venom 110 defeated Adelaide Lightning 76.