Netball: The Force view

Irene van Dyk (left) will meet Linda Vagana in the National Bank Cup semifinal. Picture / Greg Bowker

Not focusing on Irene van Dyk seems to be the focus for the Force heading into tonight's semifinal clash against the Magic in Hamilton.

After a slow start to the season, the Force appear to have hit top gear at the right time and go into tonight's match on the back of four consecutive wins.

The key to their success in recent weeks has been some sharp shooting from Daneka Wipiiti and some rather remarkable defence from ex-Silver Fern defender Linda Vagana.

Vagana, 33, supposedly retired from the game last year but told coach Yvonne Willering that she would be available to fill in should any injuries occur.

The first week of the competition she found herself on the sideline, following an injury to Kate Dowling, and has remained there since. Ironically she is playing some of the best netball of her life. Former Silver Fern Joan Hodson even went as far as naming the goal keep as the standout player of the competition in a television interview this week.

"Visually the game just seems a little more readable for some reason," Vagana said.

"It seems like everyone is a bit too frantic and I am just standing there thinking, 'Why do I need to run there when I know the ball will come here eventually?'

"I have always been a believer in conserving energy and only coming out when I need to - there is no need to be frantically running around when you know that the ball is only wanting to reach one place and that is in the circle.

"It helps, though, when the team is making it difficult up ahead."

It is that midcourt pressure that Vagana sees as the key to beating the Magic - shutting down feeders Laura Langman and influential wing attack Amigene Metcalfe.

"A lot of people do focus on Irene [van Dyk] but it is more the people that are feeding her the ball.

"Often teams tend to pull all the defence back on Irene which isn't really the best idea because you leave the other shooter open."

With Anna Senio, who has just played her way into the Silver Ferns, being the other shooter that wouldn't be wise.

Senio has really upped her workload this season, increasing her mobility and number of shots.

Vagana said the key would be to play as error-free as possible and block the route into van Dyk.

"If they have the confidence right at the start to just let the ball go [into van Dyk] then they will.

"That is where we need to be a lot stronger at the start and close it down from the beginning."