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Vixens hit top after victory over Steel

25th April, 2009
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Melbourne Vixens went to outright top of the trans Tasman netball competition and, together with West Coast Fever, completed a triumphant and record-breaking day for Australian teams in the ANZ Championship.

The unbeaten Vixens made it four wins from as many games by scoring a 48-31 home win over New Zealand’s Southern Steel at Melbourne’s State Netball Hockey Centre.

The 17-goal margin equalled the Vixens’ previous highest winning total and condemned the Steel to by far their lowest score in history.

Earlier on Saturday, Fever notched their highest-ever team score for the second straight week and recorded back-to-back victories for the first time in their history with a 60-54 away win over New Zealand’s Pulse in Palmerston North.

The fourth round of competition is one of only two in the 14 week home and away season which features a full fixture list of Australia-New Zealand clashes.

Melbourne trailed by three goals early on against Steel before finding their rhythm and stifling the visitors.

The Vixens led just 14-11 at the first break, but dominated the two middle quarters against the only side in the 10-team tournament they hadn’t previously beaten.

The Steel’s tall shooters, Daneka Wipiiti (21/30) and Donna Wilkins (10/16), struggled against the formidable Melbourne duo of Bianca Chatfield and Julie Corletto.

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Up the other end, Melbourne shooters Caitlin Thwaites (27/35) and Sharelle McMahon (21/28) proved more accurate, though neither was at their best.

Melbourne outscored Steel 15-8 in the second quarter to lead 29-19 at halftime.

The Vixens imposed an even tighter stranglehold on Steel in the third quarter, outscoring them 11-5 to lead 40-24 at the last change.

The home team won a low scoring final quarter 8-7 to complete the win.

Steel, whose season record dipped to 2-2, had never scored less than 41 goals in a game.

“It was a massive effort defensively to keep them to 31 goals, we were just relentless all game,” Vixens’ wing attack Chelsey Nash said.

“We put pressure on them all the way down the court which slowed them up and allowed us to go for the intercepts and turn the ball over a number of times.”

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In Palmerston North, Fever came from two goals down at the last change to square their season record at 2-2 and were rewarded after a nightmarish start to their trip.

Two delayed flights meant the Perth-based team only arrived in Palmerston North shortly before midnight on Friday night.

Fever led 15-13 at quarter-time, but trailed 32-29 at halftime.

West Coast coach Jane Searle revamped her midcourt line-up for the second half.

The switch of Madison Browne from wing attack to centre helped spark the Fever, who won the third quarter 13-12.

They scored the first four goals of the final term and outscored the home side 18-10 in that period to leave Pulse still looking for their first competition win.

Caitlin Bassett (41/49) and Bianca Franklin (19/25) converted sufficient opportunities to ensure Fever improved on their previous highest team score of 57 set last week.

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“Caitlin Bassett was great for us, she was consistent for the whole match and Madison Browne was steady at wing attack and was great in the centre and picked up a lot of defensive work,” Searle said.

“Bianca Franklin was pretty good. She scored 100 per cent for us in the last quarter when it counted.”

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