Netball: Tactix extinguish Firebird flames

ANZ CHAMPIONSHIP

Canterbury Tactix 53
Queensland Firebirds 46

Canterbury Tactix produced a strong all-round performance to pull off an upset 53-46 win over the Queensland Firebirds in Christchurch yesterday, despite playing without injured skipper Julie Seymour.

Seymour was nursing an injured ankle but the Tactix hardly felt her absence as they overpowered a side contending for the playoffs. Phillipa Finch had a faultless game at centre.

The Tactix win should hand the Southern Steel a golden opportunity in the race for the playoffs.

The Steel are level on 10 points with the Firebirds and will play the Mystics in the final match of round 11 in Invercargill tomorrow. The southerners and Firebirds will then meet next week in the match of round 12 with a place in the playoffs at stake.

Defender Sonia Mkoloma was the rock in the Tactix defence as, along with Charlotte Kight, she foiled a number of feeds for the Firebirds' shooter Romelda Aiken.

Aiken shot 35 from 37 attempts at a 95 per cent success rate, the highest of the game, but Mkoloma also intimidated Queensland's other shooters out of the game with Alissa Castrisos sinking nine from 12 and Janelle Lawson just two from four.

The Tactix started Angela Mitchell at goal attack alongside Jodi Brown but quickly subbed on the more robust Anna Thompson for Mitchell. The Brown-Thompson combination worked better and from there, the Tactix began to find their rhythm.

The Tactix won the first quarter 12-11 but the Firebirds came back in the second to see both teams take the breather locked at 24-24. However, the visitors hit the doldrums after the breather and the Tactix capitalised to shoot out to a three-goal lead at the end of the third quarter.

With momentum on their side, the Tactix just cruised to their second straight win of the competition which resulted in them moving into sixth spot in the standings.

Their next two matches will be a real test as they are away against top New Zealand side, the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, and leading Australian side, the Melbourne Vixens .

"It was a fantastic feeling to win the game because we had been unlucky all year," said Tactix's match captain Maree Bowden. "It was such a good team effort and we held it all together until the end."

Firebirds skipper Peta Stephens acknowledged the Tactix had put on a great performance.

"We didn't have the fire today, you've got to get the goals to win a game and the Tactix just outmuscled us today," she added.

- NZPA