KEY POINTS:
The Mystics mysteriously lost yet another transtasman match, this time to the Fever, while the Magic's magic dimmed against the New South Wales Swifts yesterday.
The Northern Mystics are still winless after three games in the transtasman league after a 49-45 loss against the Perth-based Fever at Waitakere's
Trusts Stadium.
Touted as one of the competition's favoured sides, the Mystics have lost each match by four goals, with plenty of opportunities to have grabbed wins.
Mystics coach Yvonne Willering had some sympathy from Fever rival Sue Gaudion, who was also looking for her first win of the season.
"I can sympathise with Yvonne and don't write the Mystics off yet - 0-3 at this time of the year, there's still a long way to go and I think they are going to be right there or thereabouts near the end of the season."
Willering was annoyed at the loss and joked that bringing back bonus points would be great for her team. However, she wasn't happy with some of the close marking but tried to be measured in her comments.
"Right from the start, we didn't nail it. It was a very physical game. They must have had a lot of contact against them. They really came out at pace. We tried to match them and didn't play our own game. We gave too much respect to them."
The Fever were also more accurate in the shooting circle, shooting 49 from 57 shots compared to Mystics' 45 from 60.
Despite their experience against Australian attacking formations, Mystics defenders Sheryl Scanlan and Leana de Bruin couldn't find the answer to the zip of Fever's English wing attack Karen Atkinson and goal attack Bianca Franklin, named player of the match.
Goal shoot Caitlin Bassett was introduced at halftime and provided an important focal point with her height and accuracy. It was a contrast at the other end, where Cathrine Latu struggled for space against lanky English defender Susan Fuhrmann and her teammates were guilty of forcing the ball into the circle. Only Silver Ferns centre Temepara George showed the necessary creativity.
A big problem for the Mystics was that the Fever have some of the competition's tallest players, with Latu and Jade Topia facing 1.96m Fuhrmann at goal keep. Latu was also hesitant in the shooting circle, eventually finishing the game with 34 successful shots from 42 attempts, while the mobile Topia took just 10 shots, with six going through the hoop.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Vilimaina Davu replaced Stephanie Bond, while the Fever brought on lanky Caitlin Bassett, who dwarfed Davu. Bassett scored 15 from 15 and has been showing good form throughout the competition so far.
In the fourth quarter, the Mystics equalised several times but could never quite gain the ascendancy.
Meanwhile, the Magic went down 47-50 after an error-ridden performance in which they gifted the Swifts numerous turnovers.
One of the worst culprits was midcourter Amigene Metcalfe, who accounted for at least 12 turnovers.
The Magic led twice but only briefly as veteran Australian goal shoot Catherine Cox put on a consummate display for the winners.
The Magic midcourt was inconsistent from the outset when coach Noeline Taurua surprised by starting Silver Ferns centre Laura Langman at wing defence, with Nicola Cooney donning the centre's bib.
The ploy did not work, as Australian representative Selina Gilsenan dominated Cooney, forcing Taurua to make a switch after the first quarter. With the Swifts ahead 10-9, Langman moved to centre, which led to a better transfer of ball through court.
The Swifts continued to shade the Waikato-Bay of Plenty outfit, leading 24-22 at halftime and 37-36 with one quarter remaining.
The New Zealanders won the third quarter 14-13 but when it mattered most, New South Wales stepped up, improving their advantage to four goals with eight minutes to go.
The Magic sliced the deficit to one goal with two minutes remaining before Cox sunk a crucial goal.