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A masterful performance from Nat Medhurst has seen Collingwood Magpies ease past Queensland Firebirds to keep their Super Netball finals aspirations on track.
The Collingwood Magpies remain in the thick of the Super Netball semi-final race after a 63-50 win over Queensland Firebirds.
The Magpies withstood every challenge from the Firebirds at Melbourne Arena on Sunday to record their fourth victory of the season.
The home side jumped out to an early six-goal lead but were forced to hold off a determined Firebirds outfit through the middle stages of the match before taking charge late in the third quarter.
The victory with three added bonus points sees Collingwood move ahead of the Giants into fourth spot as they enter the mid-season break.
Goal attack Nat Medhurst was a standout performer as she orchestrated Collingwood's attack, finishing with 18 goals to go with 31 assists.
Coach Rob Wright praised Medhurst for her contribution as the Magpies bounced back after struggling to produce 41 goals in last week's defeat to Sunshine Coast Lightning.
"When she scores fifteen-plus, I feel like we become a 60-goal team so I was really thrilled with that," Wright said.
"It felt like it was probably her best game since round one."
Shooter Shimona Nelson added 45 goals while New Zealand centre Kimiora Poi provided plenty of drive through midcourt in her first Super Netball start.
Lenize Potgieter scored 29 goals for the Firebirds with the Magpies defence restricting Gretel Tippett to 19 goals and five assists.
Jamaican import Romelda Aiken made her return for the Firebirds after a month on the sidelines with a stress fracture in her tibia, making a late cameo in the second quarter at goal keeper before closing the game in attack.
The home side used a run of six unanswered goals to build a 15-10 lead after one quarter, but the Firebirds struck back with a 5-0 start to the second term to draw level.
The Magpies steadied to regain the lead, eventually taking a 29-25 edge into halftime, but some scrambling late defence ensured the Firebirds grabbed a bonus point for winning the second quarter.
After an even start to the second half, Queensland inched closer to the lead but with Medhurst firing, the Magpies closed the third quarter with seven of the last nine goals to grab a 45-39 advantage.
Down by eight in the fourth quarter, the Firebirds switched Aiken into attack in a last-ditch effort to steal victory but Collingwood held sway to run out 13-goal victors.
