Phoenix Heat kept the pressure on Lindo’s Tigers after winning 57-26 against North Village in the Bermuda Netball Association Senior League at Bernard Park on Saturday.

It was the sixth straight victory for Erika Russell’s defending champions, who moved within a point of leaders Tigers with a game in hand and their goal difference of 146 is the best in the league this season.

Facing Village, goal shooter Danielle Raynor did what she does best, scoring 46 times. Ebonie Cox scored eight times, while best attacker, K’Xiyae Gibbons contributed three points.

Goal attack, MVP Coriah Simmons, led the scoring for Village with 14 goals, while Darrika Simmons scored 12 times to take Nicole Smith’s side’s goals scored to 304 for the season.

Kianté Lightbourne, Heat’s best defender and MVP, was pleased with the win.

“The game was good, we had a little slow start but we became composed and then ran away with it,” Lightbourne said.

“We might be winning but it’s still hard, our backline was tested. The Village attack, when they were defending us, they figured out what we were doing and we had to adapt.

“It probably took us about two quarters to figure out something that was going to work, just to get the ball out of our backline. We had to adjust for that and come towards the ball a bit more than we normally do.

“Four games to go and we have a game on Tuesday against St George’s, so we’ll see how that goes.”

For Jada Richards, captain of North Village, whose side are third in the league, it was a matter of what they could have done better.

“Phoenix played a good game, they’re always tough opponents and they always give us a good run,’’ Richards told The Royal Gazette.

“It was just little things that we didn't do that we should have. We knew it was going to be a tough game as they never make it easy, which is why we enjoy playing against them.

“We want to finish in the top three, but we just have to be consistent and play our game, keep building on the things that we do well.

“We have to continue playing as a team and keep our heads up no matter what the score is.”

In an earlier match, Storm defeated Docksiders 43-31.

Storm’s best attacker on the night, Nabiilah Nasir, top scored with 28 goals. Rhianna Reddicks scored ten, Amara Richards had three goals, while Jamir Hatherley contributed two points.

Charlotte Evans, the Docksiders player-coach, led the scoring for her team with 25 goals. Denise Carpentry and Naomi Szmierek chipped in with five and one respectively.

Meanwhile, Storm lead the way in the under-17 league with 16 points. They have recorded five wins and one loss in the six matches they have played. Phoenix Fire, the Heat feeder team, are second with 11 points.

In the under-14 league, Rangers are on top with 13 points, followed by Storm Lightning with seven.