KEY POINTS:
Alone in the dressing room, at the end of the one of the toughest months of her prolific career, Irene van Dyk smiled at last, a woman vindicated.
"I can take the good with the bad, but I wanted to show what I'm capable of," the 146-test veteran
said yesterday. "You can't prove yourself by words. The only way to prove yourself is with good netball."
Vilified for her role in the Silver Ferns' double losses in Britain, van Dyk had gone on court for the Magic in Auckland yesterday, determined to do everything in her power to prove her detractors wrong.
She dropped the trademark smile, gritted her teeth and threw herself around the goal circle - her criticised movements fluid and frequent. The result of her resolve was brilliance - she missed just one shot from 41 attempts, and played the clinching role in the Magic's much-needed 52-48 victory over previous National Bank Cup leaders the Force.
"I needed to go out and prove myself to people today," said van Dyk, stopping to take in the moment before flying home to Wellington. "It helped that all my middies [midcourters] played beautifully around me. They put me in perfect positions."
Van Dyk wasn't alone in her determination to avenge criticism - there were seven Silver Ferns on court yesterday still carrying the weight of the losses to Australia and England.
"Before we left the changing room to go out on court, it was just me, Casey [Williams] and Joline [Henry] standing here. We all had butterflies; we all had to prove ourselves. So we had a quick hug before we went out," van Dyk said.
"They were good nerves though, and we turned them into positive things on court."
It was not only important for the internationals in the Magic to play their hearts out - it was critical for the defending champions to pull together for their first win in three matches, and stay in semifinal contention.
Although their place in the top four is not yet a certainty - with one round still to play - theoretically, they should finish the round robin in third place, behind the Sting and the Force.
If next week's results go to form, the Sting and Force will meet in Invercargill in the major semifinal. The Magic's opponents will be either the Diamonds or the Flames, all dependent on whether the Flames can pull off an upset over the Sting.
The Force still need to close their deal next Sunday with a victory over the Shakers. A bonus point yesterday, for finishing within five of the Magic, will ensure the Force make the top two and get the quickest route to the final.
But there's work to do if Yvonne Willering's northern side are to have a parting shot at the NBC. Willering trusted in the new shooting duo of Megan Dehn and Brigette Tapene - who started so well against the Flames in the Force's last game together.
It was a move planned to keep the ball low and combat the elevation skills of Magic goal keep Williams, and it kept the Force in the hunt during the first quarter - the score level at the break.
But it was the next spell that threw the Force off balance, as they almost stood back and watched the Magic, with their new, looser style, zip the ball through court to van Dyk.
"We let them get seven in a row and that's inexcusable," Willering said.
After halftime, trailing by seven, a reshuffled Force struck back - defender Leana de Bruin, and midcourters Temepara George and Angelina Yates driving the ball to rock-solid shooter Catherine Latu.
But several times when the Force were on the verge of levelling the game they simply lost the ball.
"There was still a chance in that last quarter, with four minutes to go. But when you have trouble getting the ball through the midcourt, it disrupts the timing of your shooters and your defence," Willering said.
The Diamonds should learn a similar lesson after they also relaxed in the second quarter against the Sting on Saturday night - the 50-42 loss putting them in a wait-and-see position for the second year running.
They also staged a final-quarter recovery, bringing in the zip of goal attack Grace Rasmussen to join Maria Tutaia, but it was too little too late against the might of Megan Hutton in defence and focused goal shoot Daneka Wipiiti.
The Diamonds will need to do some nursing too, with potent defenders Anna Scarlett and Stephanie Bond carrying calf injuries.