Netball: Aiken ignites huge push for playoffs

ANZ Championship
Mystics 57
Firebirds 59

Queensland Firebirds maintained their push for a playoffs spot with a hard-fought victory over the Northern Mystics in Auckland yesterday.

The Queenslanders are now in fourth place, two points ahead of Southern Steel, who contest their penultimate regular season match against Adelaide Thunderbirds in Dunedin tomorrow night.

Outstanding 1.96m Jamaican goal shoot Romelda Aiken provided 47 of her side's 59 goals, her dominance of the circle helping to fire the Australians to their seventh win in 12 outings.

The Auckland-based Mystics made life difficult for the Firebirds as they rose above their lowly eighth placing with a performance which promised to deliver just their fourth win of the season. Ahead 51-44 with a touch over nine minutes to play, the Magic looked more than likely to bring a smile to the face of coach Te Aroha Keenan.

Instead, the Firebirds wiped out the deficit in less than 4min, then crept back into a lead they would not relinquish. That 12-3 run was pivotal to the final outcome as the Queenslanders showed the desperation required to give their play-offs aspirations a huge lift.