Mystics 54
Pulse 50
The Northern Mystics overcame a messy middle period of the match to see off a determined Central Pulse outfit in last night's round two ANZ Championship match-up.
After an ordinary start to the season against the Magic last week, the Mystics were desperate to show their run of strong pre-season results was no fluke.
The Auckland side certainly started like they had a point to prove, rocketing out to a seven-goal lead at the first break. But the Mystics lost their way through the second and third quarters as the Pulse piled on pressure to trail by one goal heading into the final spell.
Just when it looked as though the Wellington side were on the verge of claiming their maiden victory in the transtasman league, the Mystics found another gear, dominating the fourth quarter to claim a 54-50 win.
Mystics midcourter Debbie White said while she was pleased her side could grab their first points of the season, it was disappointing they did not put in a more complete performance.
"I think we really need to work on our ball retention. We were just too frivolous at times and didn't show enough care," said White.
"It's definitely something we need to work on over the week because we won't get away with it next week and we nearly didn't get away with it tonight."
The Pulse, who surprised a few punters by pushing the Southern Steel for three-quarters of the match in round one, did not start with the same resolve against the Aucklanders.
Jamaican import Althea Byfield and the usually intimidating Cushla Lichtwark struggled to get into the game early on, with Cathrine Latu and Grace Rasmussen enjoying free rein in the circle.
With Temepara George and Debbie White working hard in the midcourt to force several turnovers from the Pulse attack, there was a ready supply of ball to the Mystics shooters, allowing the home side to jump out to a handy 17-10 lead at the first break.
But by halftime the home side had stretched it back out to five at 27-22.
The score remained tight for much of the third quarter as the Mystics turnover rate climbed.
Leading by just one goal heading into the final spell, the Mystics seemed to find another gear down the stretch, upping the defensive intensity to extend their lead out to seven goals five minutes into the period and remaining in control from there.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have broken the NSW Swifts' 10-match winning streak with a one-goal victory in Adelaide.
The 48-47 win was the first for the Thunderbirds over the defending champions after losing to them twice last year.
This was a match-up between the talent-laden Thunderbirds against the high percentage mistake-free netball which has become a hallmark of the Swifts. It did not disappoint as a spectacle, producing a tense and enthralling encounter as momentum swung throughout.
In another big match-up over the weekend, the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic faced a tough battle against the Southern Steel.
But the powerful Magic line-up, propelled by 100 per cent shooting from Silver Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk, broke free in the final period to record a 54-47 win.
