Netball: Swifts remain unbeaten

Swifts 44 Firebirds 40

SYDNEY - NSW Swifts survived a final quarter scare to retain their unbeaten transtasman netball competition record with a hard earned 44-40 victory over Queensland Firebirds.

The Swifts made it eight wins from as many starts, but had their eight goal second quarter advantage whittled down to just one in a frantic final quarter.

The Firebirds (4-4) blew a gilt edged opportunity to level the score and impose even more pressure on NSW's normally reliable shooters when Romelda Aiken missed a short range shot inside the last five minutes.

Jamaican Aiken (26/33) was made to work for every goal by Swifts English goalkeeper Sonia Mkoloma, who wore her like the proverbial glove.

The Firebirds' first loss in five games left them outside the top four with two more tough road assignments in the next two rounds against Adelaide and Magic.

Sydney never trailed throughout the match, but were restricted to their lowest team score of the season.

Captain and goal shooter Catherine Cox had a night she would probably like to forget, scoring 19 goals at just 58 per cent, but her reliable partner Susan Pratley (25/32) was more consistent.

With Natalie Medhurst (14/20) supporting Aiken, the Firebirds shot 75 per cent, seven per cent better than NSW, but the Swifts had 12 more attempts.

Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald rated Mkoloma's performance as outstanding and probably her strongest yet in the NSW uniform.

"It was hard work but we kept going and we just kept doing what we knew would work for us and it paid off in the end," Mkoloma said.

Both coaches referred to the intensity and physicality of the clash.

"I think it's the longest match I've ever sat through, it was just so intense," Fitzgerald said.

Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke paid tribute to the Swifts pressure game but felt her team failed to grab the chances that came their way.

"We definitely had our opportunities tonight but we just didn't capitalise when we needed to, we gave them too much of a head start in that first half," Jencke said.

"We never ever got an easy ball, so that's credit to the Swifts".

NSW led 13-10 at the first change and 24-19 at the long break, though a 4-1 finish to the second quarter by the Firebirds kept them within range.

The Firebirds got within two goals in the third quarter, but finished the term 35-30 behind.

In Monday night's other game, the Mystics (5-4) scored a 61-60 extra time victory over the Pulse (0-8) in Auckland.

- AAP