Gretel Tippett looks to go forward. Picture: Mark Calleja
THE Firebirds stayed in the hunt for Suncorp Super Netball finals with a gritty 55-50 victory over West Coast at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.
Queensland temporarily jumped back into the top four with the win and will stay there for at least a week if GWS beat Collingwood in Sydney on Sunday.
The Firebirds play the Magpies in Tasmania next Sunday in what amounts to a double-points clash as the sides are locked in a battle for the last spot available in the top four with the Giants, Lightning and Vixens all but assured of finals action.
Gabi Simpson finds a teammate.Source:Getty Images
The Firebirds seized control early and maintained their advantage all the way through to halftime when they held a 30-23 buffer.
Queensland played with great energy and intensity and powered away to a 10-goal lead during the second term.
The home side went further ahead in the third term and held a 43-34 advantage at the last change.
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West Coast showed some fight and closed the gap early in the fourth quarter but the Firebirds never looked seriously threatened and secured their fourth win of the 2017 campaign.
Romelda Aiken hit 38 goals from 43 attempts for the Firebirds while Gretel Tippett added 17 goals from 19 attempts.
Kaylia Stanton had 38 goals for the visitors while former Firebird Nat Medhurst hit 12 goals.
The Firebirds took the opportunity to honour ANZAC Day while the players in the second game of the double-header performed their protest against the Netball Australia board vote in the middle of the court.
Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson said the pre-match action achieved the desired result.
“I think it was just a fantastic way to unite all of the players. That’s what it achieved and it was fantastic. We just stood there united,’’ she said.
Simpson said the victory was set-up in the first three terms.
“The (first) three quarters were fantastic … you could feel the flow coming through the court and the connection in defence,’’ she said.
“We’ve been really working on that spark and we’ve really come together in the last two weeks.’’
Originally published as Firebirds give Queensland clean sweep
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