West Coast Fever coach Stacey Rosman is adamant her team can still make the trans-Tasman netball finals despite relinquishing an early lead in Saturday's 54-53 loss to the Melbourne Vixens at Perth Arena.
It is the second consecutive loss for the Fever and proves costly, slipping them to fourth on the Australian conference ladder behind the Vixens, who are equal on points and have a game in hand.
Only the top-three teams progress to finals' action.
Despite letting a four-goal halftime advantage slip, Rosman believed the Fever could still play finals.
"Absolutely - we have matched it with the top teams," she said. "(The challenge) is our ability to learn and instil confidence in the group. That is the challenge when you have a few losses is getting that confidence and building on the areas of improvement," Rosman said.
It was the fifth consecutive loss for the Fever at Perth Arena but the coach believed the venue was not a hoodoo.
"It is hard to blame the venue because, at the end of the day, it is the same court dimensions," she said. "We just keep coming up against good opposition here. They are tough games and this is a really tough competition."
The Vixens trailed for most of the first half, and by six goals late in the second period, but clutch execution and ferocious defence allowed the Vixens to claw back into the contest and eventually prevail in thrilling fashion.
Star Vixens goal shooter Karyn Bailey was superb connecting on 35 from 39 shots and she was ably assisted by Alice Teague-Neeld, who connected on 19 from 26.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis was rapt with her team's courageous comeback and hoped it would spur them for the remainder of the season.
"I'm really happy, as it was important to come here and win and make a move up the ladder," she said. "It took us a while in the first half - we were stagnant with our movement and timing. But that last quarter, there was nice flow.
"It is halfway in the season for us and, hopefully, we can use this win as a springboard for the back half of the season.
The Vixens (4-3) return home to face the Adelaide Thunderbirds next Saturday, while the Fever (4-4) have the bye next weekend.
