Melbourne Vixens have vowed to make amends in a blockbuster clash with archrivals NSW Swifts when a trans-Tasman netball playoff berth will likely be settled.
Defending champions Vixens (6-5) kept their slim finals hopes alive with a 56-48 upset win over previous competition leaders West Coast Fever on Sunday.
They were led by brilliant shooting from Karyn Bailey, who ended the match with 39 goals from 42 attempts and the MVP award, and dominant defence from Geva Mentor.
They face a crucial clash next Sunday with the in-form Swifts, the team that sent their season into free fall.
Just a fortnight ago, the Swifts handed the Vixens a record 24-goal thrashing, threatening to shut them out of the finals for the first time since 2011.
The Swifts maintained their good form with a 68-49 home thrashing of Canterbury Tactix on Sunday, with goalkeeper Sharni Layton hugely influential as shooter Susan Pettit made 31 of 34 attempts and goal attack Caitlin Thwaites bagged 31 of 33.
They hold third spot on the overall ladder - and the all-important third playoff spot in the Australian conference - with 15 points, behind the Queensland Firebirds (19 points) and West Coast Fever (17).
The Vixens are next on 12, with two rounds remaining.
Star goalkeeper Geva Mentor said the Vixens were desperate to "bin it and move on" after the last Swifts defeat and would be fired up for next Sunday's home clash.
"In that game we were at our worst and the Swifts were probably at their best, and that's the result you are going to get," said Mentor.
"Next week will go in with a completely different game plan in terms of what we need to put out on the court and what we need to put out on the court from the start."
Slow starts have blighted the Vixens' season, but they were fast out of the blocks in front of a packed house of 5380 against the Fever.
They led 16-13 at quarter time and controlled the momentum of the match from then on.
For the Fever, Caitlin Bassett was again accurate with 35 goals from 38 attempts and Natalie Medhurst had 13 goals from 17 shots.
But Mentor at goalkeeper was strong, ending the match with three deflections and two intercepts.
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