England Netball | Francis and Mentor make Team of the Round for Round 11

Vitality Roses Stacey Francis and Geva Mentor were named in the Team of the Round for their performances in Round 11 of Super Netball.

NSW Swifts 55-62 Melbourne Vixens

Vitality Roses involved: Helen Housby and Natalie Haythornthwaite

Melbourne Vixens took a major step towards securing the minor premiership with their second win over the defending champions in the space of two weeks.

In the top-of-the-table clash, both sides looked switched on from the outset and there was nothing to separate them at the end of the first quarter after Helen Housby’s late Super Shot pulled Swifts level (17-17).

The Vixens’ defensive pressure, in particular a massive shift from Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Jo Weston, proved the difference as they built a 30-33 halftime lead.

The Premiers started the second half brightly, erasing Melbourne’s advantage with the first three goals, but that sparked the Vixens into action with a 6-0 run setting up a crucial 10-16 third-quarter win and a nine-point lead.

Swifts were forced to chase the game and tried to chip away at the deficit in the final period but they were unable to prevent a third loss in their last four games.

Score breakdown

Q1: Swifts 17-17 Vixens

Q2: Swifts 13-16 Vixens

Q3: Swifts 10-16 Vixens

Q4: Swifts 15-13 Vixens

Vitality Roses shooting stats

Helen Housby – G1 – 9/9 (100%); G2 – 3/7 (43%)

G1 = shots during normal play | G2 = Super Shots taken

Sunshine Coast Lightning 52-72 West Coast Fever

Vitality Rose involved: Stacey Francis (West Coast Fever)

West Coast Fever moved to within one win of second spot on the ladder after an emphatic 52-72 victory over Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Vitality Rose Stacey Francis impressed at goal defence for Fever across the full 60 minutes and was named in the Team of the Round.

With three wins plus a draw in their last four matches, West Coast Fever have found form at the right time and developed into serious title contenders.

Fever flew out the traps but a run of five unanswered goals, including a Super Shot, brought Lightning back into contention and they edged the opening quarter (16-15).

West Coast, who have the highest-scoring attack in the league, took control in the second period to lead 30-36 at halftime.

Fever continued to improve and keep the pressure on as the game went on and they broke away from Lightning, who struggled to break down West Coast’s defence.

Score breakdown

Q1: Lightning 16-15 Fever

Q2: Lightning 14-21 Fever

Q3: Lightning 11-15 Fever

Q4: Lightning 11-21 Fever

GIANTS Netball 62-58 Collingwood Magpies

Vitality Roses involved: Jo Harten (GIANTS Netball) and Geva Mentor (Collingwood Magpies)

GIANTS Netball kept their slim semi-final hopes alive with a 62-58 victory over Collingwood Magpies.

Geva Mentor delivered another mammoth performance for the last-placed Magpies, which saw her named in the Team of the Round, as they pushed GIANTS all the way but it was Jo Harten’s side which held their nerve in a tense final quarter.

Magpies’ defensive pairing of Vitality Rose Mentor and Jodi-Ann Ward made a big impact in the first quarter with GIANTS’ shooters making just nine of their 16 attempts as the underdogs took a 9-13 lead.

Harten and Kiera Austin found their range in the second period as GIANTS won the quarter 18-13 to establish a narrow 27-26 advantage at halftime.

Magpies refused to go away in the third quarter but GIANTS settled and Harten added three Super Shots to set up a 46-42 lead heading into the fourth period.

GIANTS then answered every challenge Magpies threw at them in the final 15 to keep their season alive, with Harten named Player of the Match.

Score breakdown

Q1: GIANTS 9-13 Magpies

Q2: GIANTS 18-13 Magpies

Q3: GIANTS 19-16 Magpies

Q4: GIANTS 16-16 Magpies

Vitality Roses shooting stats

Jo Harten – G1 – 19/21 (90%); G2 – 4/8 (50%)

G1 = shots during normal play | G2 = Super Shots taken

Adelaide Thunderbirds 59-61 Queensland Firebirds

Vitality Roses involved: Chelsea Pitman, Layla Guscoth and Kate Shimmin (all Adelaide Thunderbirds)

Queensland Firebirds remain in the semi-final race after surviving a late scare from Adelaide Thunderbirds to claim a 59-61 victory.

Queensland made the perfect start by scoring eight of the first nine goals and continued to pile on the pressure to lead 11-17 at the end of the opening quarter.

Firebirds enjoyed a 16-29 lead in the second period but the long-range shooting of Georgie Horjus kept Thunderbirds in the contest at 28-35 at halftime.

Down by 10 goals midway through the third period, Adelaide responded again to set up a dramatic final quarter with the two sides battling it out in a physical contest that went down to the wire.

Thunderbirds trailed by just one in the final minute but Firebirds held their nerve in the closing stages, controlling possession for the last 50 seconds before Romelda Aiken added the final goal to make it back-to-back wins for the Queenslanders.

Score breakdown

Q1: Thunderbirds 11-17 Firebirds

Q2: Thunderbirds 17-18 Firebirds

Q3: Thunderbirds 14-11 Firebirds

Q4: Thunderbirds 17-15 Firebirds