MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – Solid performances by Jamaican Romelda Aiken and Trinidadian Samantha Wallace helped the Queensland Firebirds and the New South Wale Swifts respectively to victories in the Suncorp Super Netball competition being played in Australia.
Aiken scored 46 of her 61 shot attempts as the Firebirds shot down the Adelaide Thunderbirds 66-42 on Sunday, while Wallace missed just two of her 45 shot attempts as the Swifts edged the Sunshine Coast Lightning 59-56.
However, there was no such luck for Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, as her West Coast Fever went down to the Melbourne Vixens 74-60.
Aiken was not at her best, converting only 75 per cent of her attempts, but her efforts along with that of goal attack Gretel Tippett who made 20 of her 21 attempts, were good enough to keep the Thunderbirds at bay.
The Firebirds dominated the entire match, leading 15-12 after the first quarter and 31-23 at the half. They then turned on the heat in the third quarter extending the lead to 48-33.
The Swifts, on the other hand, were made to fight tooth and nail to get past the Lightning despite building an early 19-9 first quarter lead.
The Lightning managed to outscore the Swifts 34-26 in the next two quarters to reduce the deficit to just two heading into the final quarter.
Riding the superb play of Wallace and goal attack Helen Housby who converted 16 of her 19 attempts, the Swifts were able to hold on to the slender lead.
Unfortunately for Fowler-Reid, despite scoring 56 of her 60 shot attempts, she couldn’t prevent her team from being totally outplayed by the Vixens, who were led by goal shoot Mwai Kumwenda, who was almost perfect, netting 49 of 51 attempts.