Fever beat Lightning, extend netball lead

West Coast Fever have come from behind to beat the Sunshine Coast Lightning to move further clear on top of the Super Netball table after a 59-58 win at HBF Stadium.

Fever did have to work hard for it against the defending champions but held them out to improve to an 8-2 record.

The Lightning slip to 4-5 with a draw to remain outside a finals position having lost to West Coast twice this year by a combined two goals.

The battle of Jhaniele Fowler and Geva Mentor in goals for Fever was worth the price of admission alone.

And while Mentor did an admirable job, Fowler still had a big say in the win,shooting 50 of 56.

Nat Medhurst did most of her best work outside the arc but still scored nine goals for Fever.

The longer the game went the more reliant the Lightning became on Caitlin Bassett (43 of 47) with Steph Wood (15 of 19) unable to maintain her fast start.

Fever's defensive duo of Courtney Bruce and Stacey Francis proved great nuisance value and big rebounds and turnovers proved critical that they forced.

Sunshine Coast made an impressive start full of intent and hit the opening three goals. They led 9-4 and were still up by four at quarter-time.

That advantage was six midway through the second term too.

But Fever went on a five-goal run to be within two by half-time with both teams having split the first half bonus points.

Twice during the third quarter did Fever go on runs of three consecutive goals and that helped them turn at three quarter-time leading 47-45.

The Lightning came out firing in the last quarter with the opening four goals.

But Fever responded with eight of the next 11 and that was enough for the ladder leaders to win by the solitary goal.