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Diamonds embracing the pressure ahead of must-win games

Justin ChadwickAAP
Sunday Aryang has backed Australia to bounce back in the Constellation Cup against New Zealand. (Andrew Cornaga/AAP PHOTOS)
Camera IconSunday Aryang has backed Australia to bounce back in the Constellation Cup against New Zealand. (Andrew Cornaga/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

The Diamonds are on the ropes and with no more margin for error, but defender Sunday Aryang says her team is embracing the pressure ahead of their must-win clash with New Zealand in Perth.

Australia trail 2-0 in the four-match Constellation Cup series after being thumped 64-50 and 63-52 by the Silver Ferns in New Zealand.

The pair of losses means the Diamonds are now on an eight-match losing streak in NZ, and it also represented the first time the Silver Ferns have posted consecutive double-digit wins over Australia.

But all hope is not lost for the Diamonds given the final two matches are in Australia and a new Constellation Cup ruling means goal difference no longer matters.

The previous rules meant that if the series ended in a draw, then the team with the better goal differential would be crowned winners.

NZ are 25 goals to the good in the current series.

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But if this year's series is drawn, extra time will be played to determine who walks away with the Cup.

The Diamonds host NZ at Perth's RAC Arena on Sunday and Melbourne's John Cain Arena next Wednesday, giving them the chance to level the series and send it into the decisive extra time.

"I think the girls are doing such a great job at embracing the pressure," Aryang said in Perth on Friday afternoon.

"I think we do well under pressure. So yeah, it's just going out there and showing what we can do.

"For us we're obviously not very happy with our performance over the last two games.

"There are moments in there where we did some great things, but I think for the next two games, it's just doing what we do well and being able to bounce back.

"We've had meetings and stuff like that, and we know what we need to work on, so it's just being able to put that out on court."

Sunday's match represents Aryang's first chance to play a Diamonds clash in her home town, and she'll have plenty of friends and family watching on.

"They've all been messaging, asking for tickets and trying to come down and see me in the green and gold dress," Aryang said.

"I'm super grateful, and it's just such a special moment.

"The crowd at RAC Arena always do such a great job at bringing the vibes and just lifting the environment."

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