Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic vs West Coast Fever, played at the ASB Arena Tauranga. Magic player Malia Paseka focuses on her goal. Photo/John Borren
The West Coast Fever were simply too hot for the Waikato-BOP Magic in the ANZ Championship at ASB Arena tonight.
Fever's speed, accuracy and movement off the ball were simply too much for the injury hampered Magic and the performance gave the Perth-based side their first win against the Magic
on New Zealand soil.
The Magic were still without injured high profile players Leana de Bruin and Grace Rasmussen, and the writing was on the wall in the first quarter. The visitors had a 100 per cent scoring rate to lead 17-11 at quarter time, but it was the second quarter when Fever really kicked on and took control, defence keeping the Magic scorers feeding off scraps and the attack ruthless and fast.
Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald took goal attack Malia Paseka off, replacing her with Ellen Halpenny, but Halpenny only managed one goal from seven attempts in the quarter.
At half time the Magic shooting percentage was down to 65 per cent, compared to 87 per cent for the Fever, with Fever's intercept conversions sitting at 50 per cent compared to 14 percent - the Fever were getting the turnovers and making the turnovers count.
