Imposing shooter Sam Wallace starred as Super Netball leaders NSW Swifts scored a 57-51 home win over the Vixens in Sydney on Saturday.
Wallace landed 45 of 49 shots and capitalised on some fine feeds from Paige Hadley, Natalie Haythornthwaite and Sophie Garbin .
Sydney temporarily surrendered the ladder lead earlier on Saturday to the Sunshine Coast, who beat the Giants at the same Quaycentre venue.
But by picking up seven points to Lightning's six they moved four clear of the Sunshine Coast - and 10 ahead of the third-placed Vixens.
"It does give us a nice buffer it also drives us as well," said Swifts coach Briony Akle said.
Three of the four quarters were decided by two or less goals, but the Swifts won the second 16-11 to lead by seven at halftime.
The Vixens, who trailed by as much as nine in the third quarter got back within four in the last, to claim their only bonus point.
Akle described Trinidadian Wallace as a standout and said she grown in confidence over the last few weeks.
"Coming back off World Cup she's just slotted right back in and demanded that ball and I think when she's demanding the ball the opposition is in trouble," she said.
Wallace moved past 500 goals for the season, but placed more emphasis on the shots she missed on Saturday.
"I know what I'm capable of and missing four goals ... I'm really upset with myself but I still have room for improvement," Wallace told AAP.
The Vixens trailed by just two at quarter time and got some reward for good pressure early in the second, twice taking a one-goal lead.
But they couldn't stop the supply to Wallace, who made all 15 of her attempts in that term to help the home team to a 28-21 halftime lead.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis replaced her Diamonds shooter Caitlin Thwaites with Mwai Kumwenda with just under two minutes of the second quarter remaining.
Thwaites didn't take her first shot until 10-1/2 minutes into the game with Tegan Philip having the first eight attempts for the Victorians.
McKinnis brought on Kadie-Ann Dehaney at goalkeep for Emily Mannix at the start of the second half.
The Swifts lead never dropped below seven in the third quarter and got up to nine, but it needed a Wallace goal just before three-quarter time to get them the bonus point.
Malawi star Kumwenda, who played just a few minutes last week in her first Super Netball game of the season following an ACL injury, made 18 of her 20 shots.