The Melbourne Vixens stormed into the final three of the Australian Conference with a 66-53 victory over theCentral Pulse in Wellington last night.
By winning the clash - through steady, uncomplicated netball - the Vixens overtook the West Coast Fever to earn their place in the elimination final against the NSW Swifts on Sunday.
The Vixens were struck by what could have been a disastrous injury, when their No1 goal shoot Karyn Bailey was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn meniscus in her left knee. However, her replacement, 19-year-old Emma Ryde, played like a master, scoring 52 from 56.
There final regular-season game in the competition's last year was a repeat of the first game that kick-started the ANZ Championship in 2008.
Vixens 66 (Emma Ryde 52, Alice Teague-Neeld 13, Kimberley Commane 1), Pulse 53 (Maia Wilson 36, Ameliaranne Wells 11, Te Amo Amaru-Tibble 6).
