Latest news with #Wallam
Scoop
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Mystics Pip Steel To Stay On Top
The Northern Mystics kept their unbeaten record intact after snatching a dramatic last-gasp 55-54 win over Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel to close out Round 3 in Dunedin on Monday. Losing their key shooting weapon Donnell Wallam just ahead of the three-quarter break to injury, the Mystics produced a masterstroke when shifting dynamic midcourt pivot Peta Toeava into the goal attack role for the last nine minutes. It turned out to be a pulsating nine minutes, Toeava proving she's a magician in most positions on the court as the teams turned on a thirilling contest. Down by five at the last break, intercepts to defender Carys Stythe and Kimiora Poi set the Steel up for a spirited comeback. Mystics shooter Filda Vui negated the Steel's two-point lead to level the scores with a super shot with under two minutes to play. One last Holly Rae turnover gave the Mystics the sniff they needed to clinch a hard-fought win against an impressive Steel challenge. The result helped the visitors retain the Georgina Salter Memorial Trophy in a match which also celebrated umpire Kristie Simpson, who was officiating in her 150th national league match. Still missing midcourter Kate Heffernan through injury, the Steel retained their winning starting seven from the previous week. For the visitors, goal attack Hannah Glen got her first start of the season in an otherwise predictable line-up. The connection between clever feeder Peta Toeava and her tall shooting target Wallam was evident from the first whistle as the Mystics quickly sprung into action with their quick through-court transition. The Steel needed to show more patience threading the ball through in the face of strong defence but showing traits of old, the southerners ball retention was a feature. The visitors held the slimmest of early leads where Wallam and her opposite Aliyah Dunn showed perfect positioning and great accuracy under the hoop. With everything very even on the statistics sheet, a steady, calm and patient Steel forged their way into the lead, Georgia Heffernan nailing the first and only super shot of the quarter to take the momentum and a 17-13 lead into the first break. Both shooters remained in dominant form on the resumption where a goal-for-goal stand-off was the order of play for the opening exchanges. Both teams spun the ball through court seamlessly with Steel centre Poi in the thick of all the action. A lift in the Mystics intensity helped the visitors eventually gain the slightest of edges through the second spell. The injection of super shot specialist Vui at goal attack for the last five minutes paid off handsomely in changing momentum the Mystics' way.. With unassuming ease, Vui drilled three super shots to Heffernan's one as the Mystics hit the front when taking a tenuous 31-30 lead at the main break. The Mystics opened the third quarter with serious intent, tightening the screws and disrupting the Steel's attacking flow. Captain Micahela Sokolich-Beatson was a telling presence from wing defence, upsetting the Steel's feeds into the circle while getting her hands on a succession of turnover ball. It resulted in errors from the Steel, who at the other end of the court couldn't harness the growing dominance of pin-point feeds from Toeava and Vui into the safe hands of Wallam. With the Mystics lead stretching out to six, Dunn showed she could shoot from anywhere when slotting a super shot to keep the Steel well in the race. Disaster struck on the brink of three-quarter time when Wallam fell heavily while trying to retrieve a rebound, sustaining a wrist injury in the process and forcing her off the court. Vui went back to goal shoot with Glen returning to goal attack as the Mystics headed into the last break with a 47-42 lead.
Scoop
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Mystics Nail Decisive Win Over Pulse
Press Release – ANZ Premiership Opening Round 2 in style, the defending champion Northern Mystics put a definitive marker in the sand when posting a decisive 59-48 win over Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse in Auckland on Saturday. Built on the back of a relentless defensive effort, the middle two quarters provided the difference for the Mystics after the Pulse competed on even terms through the first and last quarters. With a team total of 10 intercepts, spearheaded by impressive goalkeeper Catherine Hall, the Mystics were able to get on the front foot while creating a disjointed effort from the Pulse's attackers. Getting the upper hand through the middle quarters, the Mystics grew in confidence and were overall more proficient with their accuracy through court and finishing under the hoop. With more ball in hand, the home side were able to consistently keep the scoreboard ticking over. Shooter Ameila Walmsley was accurate under the Pulse hoop but with less opportunities couldn't add scoreboard pressure while at the other end Kelly Jackson had her moments against the influential Donnell Wallam, the visitors unable to apply the same pressure as consistently as their opposites, who turned in a non-stop outing. There were no surprises in either line-up which highlighted exciting match-ups across the court, and that was more than evident through a tight and absorbing opening quarter. The much-anticipated match-up between 1.93m Mystics shooter Wallam and Pulse goalkeeper Jackson, a centimetre shorter, lived up to expectations. But there was equal intrigue at the other end where young home team goalkeeper Hall was in the thick of action through her closing speed and ability to anticipate play while going on to play a decisive hand. Both sides produced some sizzling passages through the opening stanza, Mystics wing attack Peta Toeava slicing her way through court with her speed and deception to set up her circle while Maddy Gordon and Whitney Souness were similarly effective for the Pulse. There was nothing to separate the teams heading into the first break, neither having any luck with the two-point shot in the closing five minutes as the Pulse grabbed a tenuous 14-13 lead after 15 minutes. A little off-target, Wallam compensated with her ability to grab rebounds as the Mystics wrested their way into the lead during a dominant second quarter. The game quickly became a defensive battle. The Mystics back three of Hall, Holly Rae (nee Fowler) and captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson producing a swarming defensive effort to throw the Pulse off-stride while causing the visitors' attacking end into error. The rangy Jackson picked up some much-needed turnover ball for the Pulse but loose play continued to hinder the Pulse's momentum. With the connection between Toeava and Wallam continuing to pay dividends, the Mystics gained a handy buffer, Filda Vui nailing the first two-pointer of the match for the home side, which was closely mirrored by the Pulse's Amorangi Malesala. But on the back of four intercepts and three deflections from Hall, the Mystics finished an encouraging second spell with a 29-23 lead at the main break. The Pulse made inroads during the third quarter, picking up extra ball on defence but were ultimately let down by loose passing and an inability to control their play on attack. For the most part, the Mystics retained a similar on-court seven while the Pulse made multiple changes in a desperate bid to find some rhythm and flow in their through-court play. Narrowing the gap to six was about as good as it got for the Pulse, Malesala offering a glimmer of hope when sinking a valuable two-pointer but with Wallam and Vui gaining maximums with the last two scoring opportunities of the quarter, the Mystics shot out to a handy 45-35 lead at the last turn.
