Southern Steel have continued their march to the trans-Tasman netball league finals with a 65-56 win over Melbourne Vixens in Invercargill.
Saturday's win by the Steel - the only unbeaten team in the league - entrenched their position at the top of the New Zealand conference, 13 points ahead of the second-placed Magic with just one round-robin match remaining.
It also secured them top spot overall in the 10-team league, with the potential to host the grand final.
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid and Te Paea Selby-Rickit played a key role in the win, shooting faultlessly in the first quarter to give the home team a narrow 18-16 lead at the first break.
The Steel's composure through-court was also impressive in converting turnover ball right from the first whistle when goalkeeper Jane Watson snaffled the rebound from Vixen shooter Karyn Bailey's first-up miss.
The Vixens upped their work rate in the defensive third in the second quarter, ramping up the pressure on what had been an easy feed into the 1.98m Fowler-Reid.
Circle defenders Jo Weston and Geva Mentor began to generate turnover ball, and shooters Bailey and 20-year-old goal attack Alice Teague-Neeld were meticulous in their conversion.
Bailey, who played with a heavily strapped left knee, was replaced midway through the quarter by Kimberly Commane, who nailed three from three.
But although the Vixens shot at 100% for the quarter, their shooting volume was well down and the Steel took a 33-29 lead into halftime.
The Vixens missed Bailey's height and accuracy as the third spell wore on, with the Steel embarking on an 8-2 scoring run early on to open out a 41-31 lead after seven minutes.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis replaced Commane with Emma Ryde soon after, with the 1.97m 19-year-old effective in posting up to provide more of a target for her mid-court.
So although the Steel opened out to an 11-goal lead midway through the spell, the Vixens battled their way back to cut the deficit to 47-40 at the three-quarter mark.
However, the Steel maintained their focus to the final whistle, taking the final quarter 18-16 to wrap up the comfortable win.
