Natasha Chokljat (L) of the Vixens jumps for the ball with Hayley Crofts of the Pulse during their round one ANZ Championship match. Photo / Getty Images
Central Pulse 33 Melbourne Vixens 50
It wasn't the predicted landslide but Melbourne Vixens were a class apart in beating Central Pulse 50-33 to open the inaugural transtasman netball championship in Wellington today.
Netball's semi-professional age dawned at TSB Arena with a lively encounter in which the highly-rated Australian side dominated the first and
last quarters.
Regarded by many pundits as the competition favourites, the Vixens raced out to a 10-1 lead and were up 16-7 by the first quarter break.
A young Pulse side rated 150-to-one outsiders by one bookmaker more than held their own through the middle period of the match, trailing 17-29 at halftime and 26-36 after a third quarter which they won 9-7.
However, the visitors closed out the final 15 minutes in style, winning it 14-7 to claim first blood in the first of 69 matches which will comprise the ANZ Championship.
Vixens captain Sharelle McMahon was delighted with her side's electric start but felt they became carried away with the occasion in front of a near-capacity crowd.
"It felt like there was a lot of speed out there, at times probably a little bit out of control as well," McMahon told Sky Sport.
"That was a great way to start the game, now we have to work on putting that together.
"Sometimes we started to look too long whereas the strength of our game is our short, sharp work.
"Although we were up by 17 at the end, it was certainly a tough game."
Goal attack McMahon had her moments in a compelling duel with Pulse's English import Sonia Mkoloma, linking well with impressive young shooter Caitlin Thwaites.
Vixens centre Natasha Chokljat was named player of the game while the Australian defensive pair of Bianca Chatfield and Julie Prendergast created unrest in the Pulse front line.
Pulse captain Frances Solia admitted her team were nervous, which possibly contributed to their slow start, but was pleased with how they found their rhythm through the middle stages.
"It was good to finally get the game under way," she said.
"It was a huge step up from National Bank Cup but that's good, it's really really competitive this year.
"We knew coming into this game we were underdogs. We just had to believe in ourselves and do the best we could."
Solia was a Pulse standout for her work rate in the midcourt, alongside Cushla Lichtwark while English import Mkolomoa -- perhaps their only world class player -- was inspirational at times.
- NZPA
