Netball: Magic able to shake Fever

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic's Irene van Dyk fights hard for the ball against the West Coast Fever duo of Susan Fuhrmann and Johannah Curran. Photo / Getty Images

Magic 55 Fever 50

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic produced a strong third quarter to beat off a stiff challenge by West Coast Fever and emerge victors in the transtasman ANZ netball championship match at Hamilton yesterday.

It was the Magic's third straight win since dropping their season opener to the Melbourne Vixens. Their other wins were over the Northern Mystics and Southern Steel.

The Magic were under the pump from the start as the Fever went on the offensive with quick, direct passing straight up the court.

Though turnovers were shared at seven apiece in the first quarter, the Magic suffered from some bad passes, which were picked off by the Fever.

Trailing 12-13 at the end of the first quarter, the Magic were unable to take the lead in the second quarter despite a couple of trademark intercepts by defender Casey Williams and both sides sank 12 goals each.

The Magic produced the turnaround they needed after the breather as they got the better of the Fever in the attacking third, with centre Laura Langman and wing attack Joan Solia combining well with Brown and Irene Van Dyk to make passes stick against a tiring Fever defence.

Fever defenders Susan Fuhrman and Johannah Curran were forced into conceding the bulk of their contact penalties in that torrid quarter as their centre court was overwhelmed.

The Magic went on a five-goal run and proceeded to outscore the Fever 18 to 11 in that decisive quarter.

With Williams and Jodi Tod putting a lock on their shooting circle, while wing defender Peta Scholz played her part outside, it was the Fever's turn to struggle to feed shooters Caitlin Bassett and Leah Shoard.

In the end, the more experienced Magic line-up possessed too much in their armoury.