PERTH - The Adelaide Thunderbirds and West Coast Fever are heading in opposite directions in the transtasman netball competition after the visitors' 57-37 win last night.
The Thunderbirds cruised to the 20-goal victory at Perth's Challenge Stadium to have still never lost to the Fever in five ANZ Championship
meetings.
Adelaide have now won four straight games to remain firmly in the top-four at 4-2 while West Coast have lost four in a row to be 1-5.
The competition's leading goal scorer Carla Borrego dominated for the Thunderbirds scoring 42 of 46 attempts up against Susan Fuhrmann, who has played at goal keeper for Australia.
Kate Beveridge also scored 15 goals for Adelaide, but even more impressive was the defensive effort of Geva Mentor on the Fever's Caitlin Bassett.
Bassett scored just 18 goals from 24 attempts and didn't get much help with Leah Shoard scoring 14, Janelle Lawson three and Ashleigh Neal two.
It was a game of runs early on with the Thunderbirds scoring the first four, the Fever the next three and Adelaide the next three before the teams began trading goals.
Adelaide took control late in the first quarter with a 5-1 run to lead 16-10.
The Thunderbirds took complete control early in the second period with Borrego on fire helping to open up an 11-goal lead before five straight Fever goals to Bassett.
Adelaide still led by eight at half-time and sewed up the victory in the third quarter opening up a 13-goal break by the end of the period and going on to comfortably win by 20.
The struggling Fever now have away fixtures with the Queensland Firebirds and Melbourne Vixens before a bye, while the in-form Thunderbirds have the bye ahead of taking on the NSW Swifts in Sydney.
- AAP
