11 hours ago
Netball: Mystics hold off late Magic charge in error ridden game
Catherine Hall (left) of the Mystics and Saviour Tui of the Magic.
Photo:
Aaron Gillions /
The Mystics have beaten the Magic 40-38 in a defence heavy game in Auckland to inch towards the top of the ANZ Premiership ladder.
The Tactix sit just above them, courtesy of a bonus point.
A Magic win would have seen them leapfrog the Pulse to third on the table, instead they sit just one point adrift in fourth, thanks to picking up a bonus point for finishing within five of the Mystics.
Despite the Magic finishing with a whooping 35 turnovers they managed to stick close enough with the Mystics.
Shooter Saviour Tui nailed three super-shots in the final five minutes and suddenly the Magic threatened to pull off an unlikely comeback.
But a turnover gifted the ball back to the Mystics and they steadied the ship.
In the first meeting between the two sides this season, there were no surprises in the starting line-ups of either team.
On the back of brilliant performances against the Pulse the round before Michaela Sokolich-Beatson started at goal defence and 20-year-old Sophia Lafaiali'i at goal shoot.
The Mystics came out firing and forced the Magic to call a time-out when they were trailing 6-nil.
The Magic finally got on the board and clawed their way back but the Mystics led 12-8 after the first quarter.
The Magic were scrappy but somehow got within two of the Mystics before Filda Vui sunk a two-pointer on the half-time buzzer and the home side led 21-17.
Defence from both sides was tight and reflected in a very low scoring game.
Mystics goal keep Catherine Hall was brilliant in picking up lots of ball and Sokolich-Beatson kept Magic captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio quiet.
The Mystics led 32-25 going into the final spell.
Lafaiali'i put up 26 goals in the 54 minutes she was on court. Tui put up 23 goals but needed better ball delivery from her team-mates.
