A superb defensive effort from the Melbourne Vixens kept the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic to their lowest score in trans-Tasman netball league history on Sunday.
The Vixens notched a comprehensive 57-34 victory at Hisense Arena in Melbourne on the back of impressive defence led by English international Geva Mentor and Diamonds defender Jo Weston.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis reserved praise for her star goal keeper Mentor and credited all three of the defenders for forcing numerous changes to the Magic attack, including the benching of England international Jo Harten (10 goals from 15 attempts) at halftime.
"If your opposition gets taken off the court, then you've got to give yourself a pat on the back for that, and not just (any) player but an England international, so (Mentor) did a great job," McKinnis said.
"I think Joey (Weston) is getting better each week. Keeping a team to 34, I get confidence ... that defensively we worked really hard."
Goal shooter Kimberly Commane top-scored for the Vixens with 25 goals from 29 attempts after being injected into the game just before halftime.
Rookie Alice Teague-Neeld, 20, also turned in an admirable display, racking up 19 goals from 27 shots against veteran Silver Ferns defender Leana De Bruin, a highly decorated international player 18 years her senior.
With both teams coming off a bye, it took three-and-a-half minutes for the first goal of the game to be scored as the sides struggled to find space and accuracy.
Vixens shooter Emma Ryde (13 goals from 20 attempts) used her 197cm height to her advantage and the 19-year-old slotted the first of six unanswered goals for the home side.
The Magic had early trouble feeding the ball into their shooters, but after being held scoreless for the first half of the opening quarter they fought back admirably to be 7-6 down.
But the Vixens then continued to opt for the high ball into Ryde and took a 13-8 lead into the first break.
The Magic shooters upped their physicality in the second quarter but Mentor and Weston continued to have the better of their opponents, forcing numerous turnovers and pushing the visiting shooters further out from the post to take their shots.
With scores at 21-13 to the Vixens toward the end of the second half, shooter Commane was subbed on for Ryde and stepped up into the leading shooter role, confidently shooting goals from all around the circle and regularly finding space under the post.
After taking a 10-goal lead into the main break at 25-15, the Vixens extended their advantage to an unassailable 17-goal lead at three-quarter time 42-25.
In a bid to change the momentum of the game, Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald made sweeping changes after halftime, however she failed to find a combination to mount the required fightback with the Vixens running away to a 23-goal win.
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