Netball: Magic squander big lead to draw in Rotorua

050415bf13 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic versus Northern Mystics ANZ Championship match at the Energy Events Centre on Sunday night. Mystics player Temalisi Fakahokotau, left, tangles with Magic play

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic have blown a big lead in the fourth quarter to draw with the Northern Mystics 45-all in Rotorua.

The Mystics have the best record of any New Zealand side in the ANZ Championship this season and managed to pull back a big deficit last night at the Energy Events Centre.

The Magic, who are without injured stars Casey Kopua and Courtney Tairi, will be disappointed with the result after leading by nine goals at one stage in the fourth quarter.
Mystics goal attack Maria Tutaia made the play of the night, sinking a long shot to tie the match after the time was up.

The Magic now have a record of two wins, one draw and three losses this season.
The first quarter was neck and neck yesterday as neither side was able to build an early lead.

An Ellen Halpenny shot right at the end of the first quarter was the only thing that separated the sides, with the Magic leading 13-12 at the first break.
Centre Sam Sinclair was right in the action from the start, during her first match for the Magic in her hometown of Rotorua.

She was given a tough assignment up against the opposing centre Laura Langman but was a strong presence throughout the game.

The Magic put together a solid second quarter which pleased the noisy home crowd inside the Energy Events Centre.

Magic goal shoot Jo Harten was in brilliant form as she helped the home side push out to a seven-point lead at half time, 28-21.

After the half time break, Harten gave the crowd and her coach Julie Fitzgerald a scare when she went down holding her right ankle.
Fortunately, after some attention, she continued on.

One of the Mystics star players Catherine Latu was the next player to go down with an ankle injury as the game's intensity did not seem to slow down. Latu was unable to continue.

The Mystics pushed hard during the remainder of the third quarter but only managed to reduce the half time margin by one point, trailing 38-32 at the start of the fourth quarter.
After a good start to the fourth by the Magic, the Mystics began to get a roll on.

Former Magic coach Noeline Taurua, now the assistant coach of the Mystics, no doubt added a a few words of encouragement for the visitors, during a timeout halfway through the fourth.

The Mystics pushed and got within two points of the Magic, after a series of errors from both sides.

Jamie-Lee Price came up with what looked to be a big defensive play to help relieve some of the pressure for the Magic.
But the Mystics showed plenty of heart to tie the game right at the death.