Tactix Defeated The Go Media Stars 61-53 In Christchurch
The Go Media Stars have shown encouraging signs with a fantastic second half showing in a 61-53 ANZ Premiership loss to the Tactix in Christchurch.
In what was very much a game of two halves, the first half was a difficult one for the Stars, with the Tactix flexing their muscles early and showing why they are the competition leaders with 19 and 17 goal quarters.
The Stars struggled to build any momentum on attack in the first two periods and found themselves with a hefty 17 goal deficit at the half - down 36-19.
Showing some great resilience, the Stars made a good fist of producing a competitive and winning third stanza, 14-13.
The combination of the experienced Samon Nathan and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan in the Stars mid-court produced a lively performance on attack. Delivering precision ball at speed into the hands of Bell gave the Stars their best 15 minutes of the game to that point.
At the other end, Johnson and Tokaduadua proved a handy defensive combination in taking the flow out of the Tactix game. Athletic and strong in the air, the pair played a strong hand in providing turnover opportunities while stalling the Tactix progress.
Leading by 16 heading down the home straight, the Tactix were left looking over their shoulder when Marie Hansen, straight out of the Comets team in the National Netball League and making her senior debut in the final quarter, stepped in to provide an exciting finale.
Showing no fear, the slightly-built Hansen calmly slotted five super shots on the trot to liven up the Stars performance, adding respectability against the well-drilled Tactix, who could look back on a strong first half buffer to get them over the line.
The diminutive Crystal Maro, also elevated from the Comets, was a lively contributor from goal attack, including nailing a super shot.
The Stars return home to host their Northern rivals the Mystics on Monday June 30th.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
7 hours ago
- RNZ News
Netball: Mainland Tactix regain ANZ Premiership lead with win over Northern Stars
Charlie Bell of the Stars and Karin Burger of the Tactix tussle for the ball during their ANZ Premiership Netball match at Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch, 22th June 2025. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Mainland Tactix have regained the ANZ Premiership netball lead, but Northern Stars have uncovered a new shooting sensation. The Tactix beat the Stars 61-53 in Christchurch and now lead the premiership by one point from the champion Mystics, who had a brief 24 hours at the top, after beating Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 63-51 on Saturday night . The win sounds comfortable for the Tactix and they certainly controlled the first half, leading at the break 36-19, but the game opened up in the second half, with the Stars bringing a lot more energy to their game and disrupting the Tactix flow. The big talking point was the debut performance of diminutive Stars goal attack Marie Hansen, who took the court late in the match and nailed five super shots out of six attempts to give the Tactix a few jittery moments. Hansen - who plays for the Comets in the Netball National League - said she only got the call-up on Thursday. "It definitely took me by surprise," she told Sky Sport. "I think this has never been on the cards for me, just being a shorter shooter. "It was cool getting the call-up.'' Tactix captain Jane Watson, a commanding presence particularly in the first half, joked about the problem that Hansen posed to the defence. "It's bloody hard when they are really short, you just lose them," she said. "She was quick as well. "She came on with so much energy and she did a really good job, so kudos to her." Goal shoots Ellie Bird (Tactix) and Charlie Bell (Stars) both shot 100 percent with their one-point shots, and uncannily both missed their single super shot attempts, with Bird's miss coming in the last 10 seconds of the game. Kayla Johnson, who had a strong game for the Stars, will now be a permanent replacement player for the injured Kate Burley through to the end of the season, the Stars announced during the match. Fellow defender Julia Wynands will stay with the Stars until the end of round nine, as an interim replacement. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
8 hours ago
- Scoop
Tactix Defeated The Go Media Stars 61-53 In Christchurch
The Go Media Stars have shown encouraging signs with a fantastic second half showing in a 61-53 ANZ Premiership loss to the Tactix in Christchurch. In what was very much a game of two halves, the first half was a difficult one for the Stars, with the Tactix flexing their muscles early and showing why they are the competition leaders with 19 and 17 goal quarters. The Stars struggled to build any momentum on attack in the first two periods and found themselves with a hefty 17 goal deficit at the half - down 36-19. Showing some great resilience, the Stars made a good fist of producing a competitive and winning third stanza, 14-13. The combination of the experienced Samon Nathan and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan in the Stars mid-court produced a lively performance on attack. Delivering precision ball at speed into the hands of Bell gave the Stars their best 15 minutes of the game to that point. At the other end, Johnson and Tokaduadua proved a handy defensive combination in taking the flow out of the Tactix game. Athletic and strong in the air, the pair played a strong hand in providing turnover opportunities while stalling the Tactix progress. Leading by 16 heading down the home straight, the Tactix were left looking over their shoulder when Marie Hansen, straight out of the Comets team in the National Netball League and making her senior debut in the final quarter, stepped in to provide an exciting finale. Showing no fear, the slightly-built Hansen calmly slotted five super shots on the trot to liven up the Stars performance, adding respectability against the well-drilled Tactix, who could look back on a strong first half buffer to get them over the line. The diminutive Crystal Maro, also elevated from the Comets, was a lively contributor from goal attack, including nailing a super shot. The Stars return home to host their Northern rivals the Mystics on Monday June 30th.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Mystics too strong for Magic in netball clash
The Mystics' Sophia Lafaiali'i hauls in the ball against the Magic, during an ANZ Premiership match in Hamilton, on Saturday 21 June. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 The Northern Mystics have beaten the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic for the second time in a week, but this time it was more decisive. The Mystics won 63-51, with stand-in goal shoot Sophia Lafaiali'i starring with another brilliant display. It was a more dominant performance than their two point win over the same rivals on Monday . The latest win sees the Mystics overtake the Tactix at the top of the ANZ Premiership ladder, though the Christchurch-based team can regain number one spot if they beat the Stars in Christchurch on Sunday. Lafaiali'i, who has come into the team in recent weeks for the injured Donnell Wallam, played like a cool veteran, not missing a shot until the third quarter. She nailed 47 of her 49 one-point attempts and one from three for her super shot attempts. Filda Vui backed her up with 12 points. Lafaiali'i would have been thankful for the slick feeding from her team-mates. Match stats told a story, with the Mystics having 23 more shots at goal and a centre pass conversion rate of 82 percent, compared to just 58 percent for the Magic. The Mystics led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter and never let go of it. They dominated strongly early in the second quarter before Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Saviour Tui launched a super shot blitz, with Tui landing four straight. It was 30-27 to the Mystics at half-time, 46-40 after three quarters, and they outscored the Magic by six points in the final stanza. Tui and Ekenasio were accurate for the Magic but they didn't get nearly enough opportunities due to the strong defensive efforts of Michaela Sokolich-Beatson and Catherine Hall. Ameliaranne Ekenasio, left, pulls in the ball for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, under the watch of Michaela Sokolich-Beatson of the Northern Mystics. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Tui shot 16 from 17 of her one-point attempts and seven from 10 of her two-pointers, while Ekenasio was 100 percent with her 17 one-pointers, and landed two from her five two-point shots. Mystics midcourter Tayla Earle said the team was pleased to improve on their display on Monday, and said they had learned from that. "We have been talking about trying to apply pressure earlier so we don't have to rely on our big backs in the circle, so I am proud of the girls," she told Sky Sport. Magic coach Mary-Jane Araroa took some heart from an improved performance from Monday's effort, but rued a lack of timing and connection from her players. "We can't stay in the eliminations with those kind of stats," she told Sky Sport. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
