BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – Jhaniele Fowler-Reid outscored her Jamaican national teammate Romelda Aiken but the effort still was not enough to prevent her West Coast Fever from suffering a 57-68 defeat to Queensland Firebirds in the Super Netball League here last weekend.
Playing at the Nissan Arena here Saturday, Fever started strongly but then collapsed, allowing Aiken’s Firebirds to come from behind and post their maiden victory after six outings in the new season.
Fowler-Reid, the veteran goal-shooter, scored 46 goals from 48 attempts, including 15 in the first quarter which helped Fever surge to a 16-14 lead at the end of the period.
The 31-year-old Aiken led the Firebirds charge, scoring 40 from 48 attempts, including 13 in the second quarter when they outscored Fever 19-9 to snatch a 33-25 half-time lead.
Australian Tippah Dwan, playing at goal attack, supported Aiken with 17 from 19 attempts overall.
Needing a big third quarter to haul themselves back into the contest, Fever managed to outscore Thunderbirds but only by one, 18-17, with Fowler-Reid scoring every single goal for her side.
Not to be left out, Aiken netted 12 for Firebirds who started the final quarter with a 50-43 advantage and dominated down the stretch to deal their opponents their fourth loss in their last five matches.
Fever lie fifth on eight points in the eight-team league while Firebirds sit seventh on six points.
In the second match at the same venue, Trinidadian star shooter Samantha Wallace was a perfect 29 from 29 and needed to be, as reigning champions New South Wales Swifts defeated Jamaican Shimona Nelson’s Collingwood Magpies 60-58.
Nothing separated the two teams at half-time with the scores locked 29-all and after a dead heat in the third quarter that saw both teams score 15 goals, Swifts just managed to out-score the Magpies 16-14 in the final stanza to claim the narrow win.
Wallace did not feature in the final quarter but England’s Helen Housby did and she scored a perfect 12 from 12 to hand Swifts the edge.
The 21-year-old Nelson led the Magpies with 26 goals from 30 attempts overall while Emma Ryde shot 13 from 14.
Swifts are one of three teams tied on 20 points with a similar 5-1 record but lie third on goal difference, while Melbourne Vixens top the standings and Sunshine Coast Lightning lie second.
