Vixens snatch dramatic draw with Fever

Caitlin Thwaites kept her nerve during a frantic final seconds to preserve the Melbourne Vixens' unbeaten Super Netball campaign with a draw in Perth.

The Australian international shooter salvaged a 63-63 stalemate for the competition leaders after West Coast Fever looked on the verge of recording their first win of the season.

Last season's beaten grand finalists led by five with four minutes to play inside the RAC Arena on Saturday night, but the Vixens hung in for Thwaites to perform her late heroics.

Thwaites, who shot a relatively low 84 per cent (36/43) by her standards, ultimately negated the influence of prolific Jamaican rival Jhaniele Fowler (51/54) down the stretch.

Vixens coach Simone McKinnis was understandably relieved to avoid defeat.

"I'm pleased we go home with a couple of points but defensively there wasn't enough pressure by us to get enough ball," she said.

"There were moments in the game where we should have pushed on but we got ourselves back in the end for a draw which was a big effort."

Fever coach Stacey Marinkovich, who watched her side lose three straight, was pleased after Fowler and Kaylia Stanton (14/16) put West Coast in a position to break their duck without injured captain Courtney Bruce.

"I never not like to win, but considering where we've been and what we've produced there was so much to like about the style that we played," she said.

"That was gutsy and it was hard fought. We increased our defensive pressure and that's the biggest thing that's been lacking over the first couple of weeks.

"To come out here against top of the table and put that defensive pressure on across the court was sensational."

Thwaites was well supported in the goal circle by Tegan Philip (27/30) but the Vixens were never able to shake the underdogs.

West Coast led 19-17 at the end of the first term before the scores were locked at halftime and again at the end of the third quarter - a portent of things to come.