The Central Pulse remain unbeaten in the ANZ Premiership after a narrow 40-37 win over the South Steel in Auckland on Friday night.
It was Pulse's sixth win of the season as they remain on track for an unbeaten campaign, but they can probably count themselves lucky as poor shooting from the Steel cost them dearly at the Auckland Netball Centre.
Pulse shooters Aliyah Dunn and Ameliaranne Ekenasio combined to shoot 40 from 45, while the Steel converted just 37 of their 51 shots.
The Steel did get off to a great start, as they held a one-goal lead at the end of the first quarter, before the Pulse rallied back to lead 22-20 at the halftime break. The Pulse turned the screw even more in the third quarter as they took a four goal lead into the final quarter.
But the Steel were unable to close the deficit in the final quarter as the game ended on a sour note for them when Jennifer O'Connell was stretchered off the court with a serious knee injury. The loss of Jennifer O'Connell comes days after fellow shooter Georgia Heffernan was ruled out until next season.
The win sees the Pulse move eight points clear of the second placed Northern Mystics, while the Steel are fifth with a 1-5 record. The Steel are back in action on Saturday night when they face the Northern Stars, while the Pulse are back on court on July 18 against the Mystics.
