The Melbourne Vixens have gone down to the NSW Swifts 51-59 in Round 7 of the ANZ Championship at Hisense Arena on Sunday afternoon.
It was an improved performance for the Vixens against the Swifts after going down by 15 goals in their opening round clash earlier this year.
It was a frenetic opening quarter with both teams showcasing high intensity levels while going goal-for-goal.
The combination of Karyn Bailey and Alice Teague-Neeld proved difficult for the Swifts defenders to shutdown, with the pair shooting 17 from 20 in the opening quarter.
Mid-courter Liz Watson was instrumental in setting up opportunities for her teammates with five goal assists to help the Vixens lead 17-15 at quarter time.
The Vixens maintained their momentum early in the second quarter, opening up a four goal lead before the Swifts went on their own run to level the score 21 all.
After leading by a goal at the main break, the Swifts came out firing, extending their lead to five goals early in the third quarter.
The Swifts were simply a class above, with the defensive pairing of Sharni Layton and Maddy Turner restricting the Vixens to just nine-goals for the quarter.
The Vixens will now face West Coast Fever in a season-defining match in Round 8 of the ANZ Championship on Saturday, 21 May in Perth.
