Netball: Mystics reach playoffs for first time

Mystics coach Debbie Fuller. Photo / APN

Underachievers no more.

After three disappointing seasons in which they failed to deliver on their potential, the Northern Mystics will finally get a taste of playoffs netball.

Needing to beat the Southern Steel yesterday to book their maiden ANZ Championship finals appearance the Mystics produced another typically patchy performance, but in the end ran out convincing 12-goal winners.

Barring the Central Pulse upsetting the Magic in Taupo tonight, the Mystics are likely to meet the NSW Swifts in Sydney in next weekend's minor semifinal.

The Swifts overwhelmed the Vixens 45-33 in yesterday's other crucial clash to deny the star-studded Melbourne side a shot at the title.

Mystics shooter Cathrine Latu, who endured some tough times with the Auckland club in the early years, said she was thrilled her side's hard work had finally paid off.

"We've slowly but surely gotten better and better in this competition, so it is great to finally make the top four."

The danger now for the Mystics is that having achieved their objective of making the finals, they relax.

But Latu said her side aren't happy simply making up the numbers in the playoffs - they are determined to put in a strong showing.

"We haven't come this far to just bomb out in the finals and think fourth is good enough," said Latu.

The Mystics star, who yesterday shot her third perfect game this season slotting 27 from 27, is particularly looking forward to the likely rematch against the Swifts next week after a disappointing showing in Sydney two weeks ago.

"I've still got a couple of issues from playing over in Sydney the last time, so I've got a couple of points to prove over there and I'll enjoy it."

On the face of it, yesterday's match against the seventh-placed Steel looked like a straight-forward assignment for the Mystics. Their respective records this season suggested the Mystics only needed to turn up to secure their place in the top four.

But given the Mystics history of fickle form, the win was far from guaranteed - particularly in light of the close-run losses Steel have recorded against the Magic and Swifts in the previous two rounds.

There were certainly patches in the game where the Mystics did not look a top four side as they were put under huge pressure from the Steel.

The Steel were virtually shut out of the game early on as the determined Mystics outfit were clearly fired up for the biggest game in the club's history.

The home side struggled to get the ball in to their shooting circle and when they did, Daneka Wipiiti and her shooting partner Paula Griffin looked reluctant to go to the post with Mystics defender Anna Scarlett in typically menacing form.

Leading 12-6 after a low-scoring opening quarter, the Mystics stretched their lead out to 10 in the opening minutes of the second quarter, after a couple of quick goals to Maria Tutaia.

But led by a sterling effort from Steel defender Leana de Bruin, the home side stepped up their defence through the court to pressure the Mystics into a series of ugly turnovers.

By halftime the Steel had clawed the deficit back to six again, and carried the momentum through after the break, closing to within two of the Mystics late in the third quarter.

The Mystics put their foot down, taking a five-goal lead into the final spell, which they continued to build on over the last 15 minutes.

While it was a convincing win, Mystics coach Debbie Fuller was disappointed with her side's slump through the middle stages.

"We have those mental lapses where we kind of go into cruise mode, so we want to get rid of cruise mode and get into fifth gear the whole game," she said.