Romelda Aiken ... Jamaica's top goal shooter. - file

BRISBANE (CMC):

Teenaged goal shooter Romelda Aitken of Jamaica has enhanced her reputation with a string of outstanding performances in the ANZ Championship to help the Queensland Firebirds improve to 4-1 and remain at the top of a 10-team competition.

The 19-year-old Aitken gave another solid performance shooting at 89 per cent, scoring 48 goals from 54 attempts to lead the Firebirds to a 65-46 win over the West Coast Fever on Saturday.

The performance from the 6-ft, 5-in Aitken improved her scoring rate to 88 per cent which put her among the leading shooters, and helped the Firebirds record the highest score of the ANZ Championship so far.

The Firebirds steadily gained the upper hand through the first quarter before edging to a 17-12 first quarter lead, as Aitken won the battle of the tall timber, when she faced goalkeeper Susan Fuhrmann.

Cut above the rest

Positioning herself well in the circle, Aitken could also credit her feeders Katie Walker and Lauren Nourse for delivering a good supply of quality balls, and the Firebirds consolidated on their early dominance to take a 32-24 half-time lead.

Walker and Nourse was a cut above the rest, and gained prime positioning at the top of the circle to ensure a stream of well-directed balls, as the Firebirds were able to maintain their grip with a 46-38 lead after three quarters.

In the opening match of the season, Aitken proved to be a tough component shooting at 86 per cent, scoring 32 from 37, after taking the court in the second quarter to lead the Firebirds to a 48-46 victory in a nail-biting finish.

Maintaining a perfect record

Jamaica's Romelda Aiken (right) in action against England's Geva Mentor at the National Indoor Centre last year. - file

The Firebirds failed to win their second match, when the Melbourne Vixens stopped them 62-52, as Aitken shot 89 per cent behind 40 from 45 shooting.

But Aitken shot 96 per cent, netting 24 from 25, as the Firebirds dominated the court in their third round match against Central Pulse, thrashing the New Zealand team 55-28.

Before she shot 82 per cent, scoring 27 from 33, as the Firebirds maintained their perfect record at home and denied the Northern Mystics their first win of the season with a narrow defeat over the New Zealand team 46-40.

The ANZ Championship is the elite netball competition contested between five teams each from both Australia and New Zealand. It began in April this year. It succeeds Australia's and New Zealand's as the highest level of competitive netball in those countries.

The league will operate as a 17-week tournament with 69 matches from April to July.