KEY POINTS:
The Northern Mystics remained winless as their horrible start to the transtasman netball competition continued today.
They were beaten 40-46 by the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane but showed they weren't far off from turning their season with passages of brilliant play against their table-topping opponents.
Today's six-point margin was the Mystics' biggest loss in their four games to date following four-point defeats to West Coast Fever, Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and Canterbury Tactix.
Temepara George was tireless at midcourt and popped up everywhere, but in the end the 11-point margin third-quarter lead by the Firebirds was too difficult to peg back.
George had a fierce battle with Katie Walker, who was replaced with five minutes to play.
A super effort was required from Firebirds defender and player-of-the-match Clare McMeniman to keep the Mystics out, particularly when their Samoan shooter Catherine Latu came on in the second half and Jade Topia moved one position back to goal attack.
The third quarter 16-goal run by the home side became the telling factor in the match. The Auckland-based side managed just 10 goals then.
When Topia started to share scoring load with Latu in the last quarter, the Mystics enjoyed a better run - 11-6.
The Firebirds' ace goal shoot Romelda Aiken wasn't as dominant as she was in their 55-28 win over the Central Pulse in their previous match, with Mystics captain Vilimaina Davu keeping a tight rein on her.
There were suggestions after the match that the teenager was intimidated by former Silver Fern Davu, but Aiken did pull off some fine catches, fully utilising her height advantage, to score some nice goals.
In all, the Mystics turned over possession 37 times to the Firebirds' 28.
"We knew it was going to very tough today but I thought when we came back from four or five goals down to lead in the first quarter that gave us a lot of inspiration," Firebirds captain Peta Stephens said.
Stephens went off with a groin problem in the last quarter.
"It was a very even match but I think it was our close man-to-man defence that gave us the six-point win in the end."
Davu said disappointment continued for her team.
"We had a great start but we didn't keep it up," she said.
The Mystics, expected to be one of the powerhouses of the new transtasman competition, shot out of the blocks with centre George exemplifying their physical approach in a fiesty battle with Walker.
Aiken appeared rattled early by the vigorous checking from Davu, missing two normally elementary attempts near the net as the Mystics jumped out to a 11-6 lead.
But goal attack Janelle Lawson stepped up for the Firebirds, hitting some long-range shots, and Aiken found her range as the home side peeled off the last six goals of the quarter.
The Mystics closed the gap to 41-36 with seven minutes to go before the Firebirds defence stepped up and replacement goal shooter Jo Morgan held her nerve.
Morgan missed her first two shots but then reeled off three in quick time to put the game to bed.
- NZPA
