LockerRoom: Mystic connection – Rookie steps up for her injured idol
She shot out of nowhere – a cool-handed young shooter who helped put the Northern Mystics' season back on track. And even Sophia Lafaiali'i never expected her rapid rise, as Suzanne McFadden discovers.
If there's one player in world netball right now who Sophia Lafaiali'i looks up to, it's Australian
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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.
