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The Melbourne Vixens improved their chances of a top-two Super Netball finish and soured Diamonds veteran Kim Ravaillion's farewell game, scoring a 62-52 away win over the Queensland Firebirds. Midcourt star Ravailion, who announced her retirement this week, started the final-round game at a sold-out Nissan Arena, but the Vixens proved party-poopers. Coming off back-to-back losses, they were much too efficient for the enthusiastic Firebirds and were in control for much of the match. They were far more accurate in their shooting, making 91 per cent of their attempts, with the wayward Firebirds converting only 69 per cent, including seven of 17 Super Shots. The Vixens entered the final round one of three teams level on 40 points at the top, and their win lifted them to outright first, with the other two sides still to play. The Vixens only took three Super Shots, all missed by the otherwise outstanding Kiera Austin (24/29), but together with Diamonds colleague Sophie Garbin (38/39) she gave the Victorian team much more punch in the scoring department. With their 10 contracted players all available for the first time since round three, the Vixens charged to an 8-1 lead. The Firebirds slashed the deficit to two at quarter-time and had their only lead at 17-16 early in the second. Melbourne responded by slamming on the next five goals, and their lead subsequently never dropped below three. They were up by eight and 10 at half- and three-quarter-time respectively, then by as much as 13 in the fourth. "We knew it was going be a highly emotional game, especially for the Firebirds and Ravy's retirement," player of the game Austin told Fox Sports. "We really wanted to go out and have a good win, especially with the last two losses that we had. "We were happy to have the first game of the week where you just have to see where a lot of the results fall and know who we will be playing next week." Leading Firebirds shooter Donnell Wallam (41/54) made seven Super Shots but missed another seven. An emotional Ravaillion, who played 60 Tests for the Diamonds and was part of two title-winning Firebirds teams, said finishing her career at the club where she made her debut in 2013 meant everything. "I can't believe I'm here - to think early in my career I had setback after setback," Ravaillion said. "But to achieve what I have here in Queensland is the best feeling in the world." It was the Firebirds' final match of the season, and they will finish either seventh or eighth, depending on other results.
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