Thunderbirds, Swifts set up showdown
Unbeaten national netball league teams Adelaide and Sydney set up a massive mid-season showdown next week after they both won their latest round of matches.
The Thunderbirds remained first on percentage with a resounding 74-44 home victory over Perth Orioles.
Adelaide led by margins of six, 16 and 23 at the three breaks.
Sydney Swifts looked a little flat, but captain Liz Ellis was still able to celebrate becoming the first player to notch 150 Commonwealth Bank Trophy appearances as the visitors triumphed 53-44 over struggling Hunter Jaegers at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
The Swifts led by seven at quarter and half time and nine at the final change.
While the Jaegers slipped to their fifth loss in six games, they belied their lowly ladder position with a competitive performance.
Susan Pratley missed just two of her 28 attempts, while shooting partner Catherine Cox scored 27 goals at 81 per cent for the Swifts.
Goalkeeper Ellis restricted prolific Hunters shooter Jane Altschwager to 26 goals at 70 per cent.
While the Jaegers were unable to close the deficit to below five in the second half, they never looked like being blown away by a Swifts side which was below its best.
"It was really tough, they made us fight all the way," Ellis said.
"We said at halftime that we felt flat. Sometimes when you're flat, the harder you try the worse you get and that was certainly the case."
In the Melbourne derby, Phoenix thumped Kestrels 67-43 to record their fourth win of the season and condemn their cross-town rival to their fifth loss.
Kestrels cut Phoenix's nine-goal quarter time lead to eight at halftime and five early in the third quarter, but a run of seven straight goals triggered a dominant second half showing by the defending champion, which moved to outright third, two points clear of Perth.
The Queensland Firebirds notched back to back victories for the first time since 2004 with a 53-32 home victory over the winless AIS Canberra Darters in Brisbane.
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