Netball: Magic shooter still in title hunt

There are not too many netball kudos left for Silver Ferns evergreen Irene van Dyk to earn.
During the past 11 years, the South Africa-born goal shooter has amassed a huge array of netball honours, including 118 caps for New Zealand, two Commonwealth Games gold medals from 2006 and 2010, and a world title in 2003.
But there is one gap in her expanding collection - a transtasman netball league title. In the four seasons since the semi-professional competition began in 2008, van Dyk's Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic team have been a model of consistency in reaching the play-offs.
Once there, unfortunately, they have faltered. The Magic have made the grand final twice, losing 65-56 to NSW Swifts in 2008, and 52-42 to Adelaide Thunderbirds last year. In 2009 they were knocked out after thumping losses in the semifinals to Melbourne Vixens and the Thunderbirds.
This year, despite the huge obstacle posed by the table-topping Queensland Firebirds, van Dyk is adamant her team have the goods to finally secure that elusive title.
The best way to do that is to down the Firebirds on their home court in Monday's major semifinal on the Gold Coast.
"We always seem to take the hard path, the Magic, but I think we really stand a chance this year," van Dyk said yesterday.
"In our last two games, things seem to be falling into place quite well. We don't get frazzled, we're having fun, and things are really looking up."
The Magic looked back to their buoyant best last week in downing Central Pulse 60-50, and impressed even more the week before in accounting for Adelaide, the defending champions, 55-36.
However, van Dyk admits they'll need more than flair and fun to down the Firebirds and take the direct path straight to next week's final.
If they lose, the Magic will face the winner of the minor semifinal between Northern Mystics and NSW Swifts, scheduled for tomorrow in Sydney.
"We have been playing very inconsistently. Our second quarters especially have been letting us down," van Dyk said.
The Magic's patchy performances have been understandable, especially in the attacking third where they have been breaking in a new line-up at goal attack and wing attack, and have struggled to establish the links and timing into van Dyk in the circle.
Midcourter Frances Solia has struggled to return to full fitness after illness, although the lanky Jess Tuki has impressed filling in at wing attack despite inexperience in the position.
The Firebirds, after struggling for consistency in previous seasons - they have finished fifth each year since the league's 2008 inception - the Brisbane-based team have set the pace to end the season undefeated.