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Daneka Wipiiti of the Steel - Source: Photosport
Southern Steel's shonky shooting ended their unbeaten run at the trans-Tasman league pre-season netball tournament on Saturday, while Central Pulse suffered two one-point losses as their winless streak continued.
The Steel opened the final warm-up competition for the ANZ Championship with wins over the Pulse and Adelaide Thunderbirds but they slumped to back-to-back losses as their shooting accuracy deteriorated.
The New South Wales Swifts completed a comfortable 33-23 win in their round three match after Steel goal shoot Daneka Wipiiti struggled to combat former Pulse, Tactix - and current England - defender Sonia Mkoloma.
Wipiiti was pressured into missing eight of 21 attempts to leave her with a 62% success rate while Julianna Naoupu recorded seven from 11.
Nicola Gray made 10 of 11 for the Swifts, who relied on Australian goal shoot Susan Pratley, with 17 of 23 attempts, for the bulk of their points.
The match, played over four 10-minute quarters, was tied at the end of the first period before the Swifts gradually pulled clear.
The Steel experienced similar problems in their fourth round contest against West Coast Fever as the Perth-based franchise notched a comfortable 39-31 victory by finishing strongly and limiting the Steel to just six goals in the final quarter.
They then turned the tables against the Melbourne Vixens, outscoring the 2009 ANZ champions 7-4 at the death to snatch a 32-all draw.
The Pulse, with a loss and a bye on day one, lost more ground in the seven-team competition when they suffered narrow defeats to the Vixens and Thunderbirds.
New Pulse captain Jane Altschwager and Silver Fern Paula Griffin continued developing their circle combination in a low-scoring affair that saw the Vixens sneak a 25-24 win after trailing by one at halftime.
Australian representative Kate Beveridge was the hero for the Thunderbirds in their tight tussle with the Pulse, landing the decisive goal in the final five seconds to break a 30-all deadlock.
The exertions of a three-game programme was apparent in the Pulse's final match of the day as the West Coast Fever coasted to a 32-26 triumph.
Queensland Firebirds were the only unbeaten team after five rounds. The tournament ends on Sunday.
