Liz Watson admits her Melbourne Vixens were lucky to escape with a draw against West Coast and their next Super Netball opponents, the NSW Swifts, are unlikely to show the same mercy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The unbeaten Vixens and the second-placed Swifts meet on Sunday at Margaret Court Arena in a round five top of the table clash.
While the Vixens scraped home with a draw against the Fever in Perth the Swifts suffered their first loss of the season last round, going down by two goals against defending champions Sunshine Coast.
Wing attack Watson said her team were disappointed by their performance against West Coast.
"We were probably very lucky with the draw and we probably deserved to lose in the end," Watson told AAP.
"The positive was that we could bring that little lead back in the final minutes and draw the game but we don't want to be in that position - to fight for a draw."
The Australian midcourter said her team needed to improve their full-court defence and their goal conversion rate if they were to continue their unbeaten streak.
She said the Swifts, with Trinidad and Tobago goaler Sam Wallace shooting at 94.5 per cent, presented a different challenge to the Fever.
"The Swifts are a very patient and a team that will always be there and keep fighting back and having a loss they're going to be even more fired up to come out and win," the 25-year-old said.
"It's not going to be a big blow-out, it's going to be a grind so we need to put the pressure on from the start."
Round five is the players' last chance to impress Australian selectors with the World Cup squad to be announced next Thursday.
Watson said that her team would only be focused on the Vixens' performance.
"We've always said that the best opportunity to get into an Australian squad is when you're playing the best with your team," she said.
"We just want to win for the Vixens and whatever comes from that is a bonus."
Australian Associated Press
