Jhaniele Fowler shot 61 goals from 63 attempts to help the West Coast Fever to a nailbiting 74-69 win against the Collingwood Magpies in Perth.
Also on Sunday, the NSW Swifts recorded a 52-43 win against the Giants at Sydney's Ken Rosewall Arena that kept the reigning premiers' slim Super finals hopes alive.
In Perth, the Fever made sure they stayed on top of the ladder at the conclusion of round eight via a superior percentage to the second-placed Vixens.
It all came down to the last five minutes when Fever coach Dan Ryan pleaded with his players to be more aggressive.
Trailing by four, Stacey Francis-Bayman intercepted a risky Sophie Garbin pass to tip momentum in favour of the home team.
Sasha Glasgow had been quiet all game but sank a pair of two-point super goals when the pressure was at its most intense.
The classy Magpies had their chances to sneak into the top four but the Fever won the critical moments to teach the visitors a few lessons about composure.
Magpie Shimona Nelson shot 53 goals at 88 per cent accuracy but it was her feeders, Kelsey Browne and Molly Jovic, who put the side in a winning position.
But for a handful of errors in the final quarter, the Magpies looked every bit as good as the Fever.
Despite the absence of Jess Anstiss due to a foot injury, the Fever held a one-point lead at half-time.
The flow of the game until that point suggested the Magpies were on top.
Centre Jovic disrupted the Fever mid-court at both ends, prompting Ryan to shuffle his line-up.
Zoe Cransberg replaced Verity Simmons at centre and captain Courtney Bruce spent time at goal defence as Ryan explored his deep roster to find an advantage.
The Magpies had an answer for everything the Fever lobbed their way.
Just as West Coast threatened to creep ahead late in the third quarter, Collingwood shooters Nelson and Sophie Garbin adjusted their radars to send their team on a 5-0 run to pinch the lead at the final change.
Swifts stay in finals race
Swifts co-captain Paige Hadley copped a head gash as her determined team battled to a derby win against the Giants.
Hadley split her eyebrow in a last-quarter collision and there were many more selfless acts from her Swifts teammates, who knew their season was on the line.
Defenders Maddy Turner and Sarah Klau created havoc for the Giants attack and import Helen Housby sank 35 goals at 81 per cent accuracy.
Hadley's co-captain Paige Proud set a benchmark for running in the first half and was one of the cool heads in the second on her way to a whopping 57 feeds, the third time this season she has notched a half-century.
Amy Parmenter, April Brandley and Matilda McDonell were behind a second-half fightback from the Giants but the Swifts had an answer to each surge.
AAP/ABC
