Vixens power on as Firebirds slip up again

Jo Weston was a stand out in defence for the Vixens.

Rebecca Williams and Greg DavisThe Courier-Mail

MELBOURNE Vixens have extended their remarkable Super Netball winning streak with a 66-55 win over the Queensland Firebirds.

It was Groundhog Day for the fumbling Firebirds as their finals hopes slipped further into the abyss at Hisense Arena.

The fifth-placed Queensland is still a slim mathematical chance of reaching the finals for a fifth-straight season but the way they are playing at the moment does not add up to a top four berth.

They need to win all three of their remaining matches and have Collingwood lose all three matches to the bottom three teams in the competition.

Mwai Kumwenda was the top scorer for the match.

Mwai Kumwenda was the top scorer for the match.Source:Getty Images

It’s not happening.

But it’s a completely different story for the Vixens who have now won eight matches in a row.

They were led by top defensive game from Jo Weston, who claimed MVP honours for the match, some gutsy midcourt work from Liz Watson and brilliant shooting of the spring-heeled Mwai Kumwenda.

Kumwenda topscored for the match with 43 from 47 at 91 per cent in partnership with Tegan Philip (23-27).

The Firebirds are simply making too many mistakes, too often.

They were again guilty of throwing away far too much ball to giftwrap possession to the Vixens.

“It’s very disappointing to get the loss and I guess that probably puts us a little bit further out of finals … it was keeping the ball in our hands that we really didn’t do very well,’’ Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson said.

“It’s always disappointing not to be in that top four, that’s for sure.’’

Caitlyn Nevins tries to get the better of the Vixens defence.

Caitlyn Nevins tries to get the better of the Vixens defence.Source:Getty Images

Vixens coach Simone McKinnis said the match had been a danger game for her team with the Firebirds fighting for their season and was pleased with the fight her team showed.

“That was hard work tonight, it really was, as it always is against the Firebirds. It was 11 in the end, but we had to work all the way through that one,’’ McKinnis said.

“It was a good (performance), I think there were still moments … there were some more little errors that we haven’t been making which gave ball back a little bit.

“I thought the girls worked really hard from the start, it’s just I didn’t think we converted the ball that we need to as well as we had in the past.

“I’m really happy to get that win because I know what Firebirds are capable of and I knew that their backs were against the wall. That’s always dangerous coming up against a side like that. We had to work extremely hard for it and we did, so I’m happy.’’

Originally published as Vixens power on as Firebirds slip up again

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