The Queensland Firebirds have moved to second in the trans-Tasman netball competition's Australian conference with a 48-46 victory against the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
In a physical match, the Firebirds led at all three changes but were almost run down by their 2013 grand final vanquishers.
The Firebirds held an 11-goal lead in the third quarter but the Thunderbirds launched a comeback, reducing the margin to just one goal in the final quarter.
However, crucial turnovers from Firebirds defenders Laura Geitz and Clare McMeniman thwarted the Adelaide resurgence and the Firebirds held on in front of 3150 fans - their biggest home crowd of the season.
Queensland coach Roselee Jencke was pleased with the two competition points but conceded her team's intensity dropped in the second half.
"We set it up really nicely but it's not won in the first half," she said.
"To our credit we were able to dig deep and finish it off and we were pleased we were able to do that for the second week in a row."
The Firebirds (3-1-1) moved to second in the Australian conference behind only West Coast Fever (4-1) but they could be leapfrogged by defending champions Melbourne Vixens (3-1) who play the Fever in Perth on Monday.
The result leaves the last-placed Thunderbirds with just one win after six rounds.
The Firebirds opened a 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter with goal attack Gretel Tippett heavily involved early.
The WNBA convert got the home side on the front foot, landing seven goals and providing two assists to star shooter Romelda Aiken.
Tippett finished with 22 goals, while Aiken landed 26 from 32 attempts.
The Firebirds defence gave Adelaide little room to move, restricting the visitors to just eight goals in the second quarter, opening up a 27-19 lead at halftime.
They pushed their advantage to eleven goals before the Thunderbirds reduced to gap to 40-34 at the end of the third quarter, setting up an unexpectedly tight finish.
Share
