MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC) — Queensland Firebirds and Canterbury Tactix, two sides with Jamaicans in their line-ups, had mixed results in their latest matches in the ANZ Championship.

Romelda Aiken, the star Sunshine Girls goal-shooter, helped the Firebirds remain the only unbeaten side in the competition, when they clinched a 61-52 victory over Northern Mystic on Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand.

Over the Trans-Tasman channel, Kasey Evering, the Sunshine Girls defender, had little court time as the Tactix fell to their fifth straight defeat this season to remain at the foot of the ladder, when the Melbourne Vixens crushed them 65-50 on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia.

All the games in the round are Trans-Tasman clashes, with the scores being totalled up after the final matches on Monday between the Southern Steel (NZL) and reigning champions Adelaide Thunderbirds (AUS), as well as West Coast Fever (AUS) and Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic (NZL).

The country with the most points will win the Rivalry Round Trophy, won for the last two years by Australia.

At Trusts Stadium Arena, Aiken scored 38 goals from 43 attempts, following a strong second half, when the delivery and supply of ball to her made the difference between the two teams.

Aiken and the Firebirds shrugged off a slow start to take control midway through the first period, but the Mystics came storming back to cut the deficit, and their Australia-based opponents with a 12-10 first period lead.

Momentum ebbed and flowed during the second period, which mirrored the opening exchanges. Mystics grabbed the lead temporarily, but Aiken’s superior reach was a decisive factor, as the Firebirds quickly reclaimed the advantage.

Neither side could completely shake-off the other, and the Firebirds held a 28-26 lead at half-time.

After the break, changes to the Firebirds for the second half injected a new sense of urgency as the visitors clicked into a higher gear and raced to a 44-39 lead after three quarters.

The Mystics tried changes of their own in the final stanza, but they paid few dividends, as the Firebirds remained solid through until the final whistle.

At Hisense Arena, Evering deflected one pass, conceded three penalties and one turnover at the goalkeeper position, as the Tactix played competitively for much of the contest, but were ultimately undone by their poor start and turnovers at crucial times.

Evering and goal defence Anna Gavlan had their hands full, as mercurial goal shooter Sharelle McMahon was in a dominant mode.

Combining sweetly with Kate Beveridge, McMahon was almost unstoppable, directing traffic, setting up play, out-jumping the two defenders for rebounds, while also finding time to shoot a flawless first period that ended with the Vixens leading 17-10.

Evering was benched in the break, but the floodgates threatened to open on the resumption, as the Vixens continued to plunder their opponents, and were leading 31-23 at half-time, despite a brief comeback from the Tactix in the closing stages of the period.

The Jamaican defender remained on the sidelines after the interval, but the one-way traffic continued as the Vixens converted their dominance into a 45-35 lead after three quarters in the face of a resurgent Tactix.

In the final stanza, Evering was again on the bench, as the home team asserted themselves with a powerful finish.