Mystics 47
Magic 46
After seven straight losses to the Magic, the Northern Mystics got one over their neighbouring rivals, with under-pressure shooter Maria Tutaia slotting one of her long bombs to secure a last gasp one-goal win.
A nervous start put the Mystics in chase mode for the match, with Tutaia shooting her
team into the lead for the first time in the match with five seconds left on the clock.
The Silver Fern sharpshooter, who was left out of the starting seven after a string of patchy performances, put the ball through the net from virtually the same spot as she landed the match-winning shot in New Zealand's heart-stopping extra time win over Australia in the Commonwealth Games final.
Tutaia said the Mystics were desperate not to become the third team behind the Pulse and the Tactix to come away with a narrow loss to the Magic.
"We were behind for most of the match but it just goes to show that we are a team that doesn't give up and I'm just so glad we did it," she said.
After her Commonwealth Games heroics, Tutaia has struggled to make an impact in the ANZ Championship this season. She was benched in favour of Aussie veteran Megan Dehn in the final quarter of last week's win over the Melbourne Vixens, and was left out of the run-on side last night.
But after a poor start, in which the Mystics trailed 12-9 at the first break, Tutaia came on in the second quarter. Tutaia's no-nonsense turn-and-shoot style helped take the pressure off Cathrine Latu, who had a fierce battle with Ferns' captain Casey Williams, as she finished with an impressive 91 per cent accuracy rate.
But credit for the win should also go to the Mystics defensive pairing of Rachel Rasmussen and Anna Scarlett who came up with two crucial turnovers in the final minute and a half to run down the Magic.
Scarlett's deflection in the final 15 seconds proved the match-turning play as the Mystics swiftly got the ball down the court to Tutaia to secure the unlikely victory.
For most of the match the Magic looked the more composed side, showing patience in their attacking play and absorbing some extremely physical defensive pressure from the Mystics.
The visitors were in real trouble mid-way through the second period, when after trailing by three at the first break, they soon found themselves down by seven.
At that point it looked to be game over for the Mystics.
They were making awful errors on attack and could not cope with the clever Magic defence. The Auckland side were also making poor decisions on defence, trying to ruffle the Magic through ill-discipline, with the net result being the Mystics spent a lot of time out of play.
Mystics assistant coach Jenny-May Coffin, who was in the hot seat with Debbie Fuller absent following the birth of her third child on Friday, believes nerves got to her side in the early stages.
"They looked so nervous, they haven't beaten this side in seven attempts and I think they took that anxiety out on court with them," said Coffin.
Spurred on by a couple of strong defensive stops, the Mystics orchestrated their comeback late in the second period to trail by just one goal at halftime.
But the Magic again got the jump on the visitors in the third period and again in the fourth, only to be chased down by the Mystics.
Magic coach Noeline Taurua believes a lack of concentration towards the end of each of the quarters cost her side.
