The loss effectively ended chances of the Mystics making the semifinals without some liberal use of mathematics. They can still make the top four but will need to win their remaining three contests and then watch other results carefully.
"We've still got three games left. We don't want to look too far ahead. We just want to go game-by-game,"said captain Temepara George.
Mystics coach Te Aroha Keenan was devastated by the loss and said there needed to be some real soul-searching by officials, with the home crowd loudly booing the umpires.
"We normally get whistled out of the game over here, not the home team," said Swifts shooter Catherine Cox.
The Swifts again showed strength at both ends backed up by an extremely slick midcourt marshalled by Kim Green and Vanessa Ware.
Although the Mystics managed at various stages to rattle the Swifts' composure, the Sydney-based team's discipline under pressure proved decisive.
The Aucklanders lacked timing and rhythm in the opening quarter and, with a 17-11 lead at the break, the Swifts looked to be cruising to a comfortable win.
However, Mystics centre George, always a consistent performer, really upped the tempo as the second quarter began. George's work rate lifted as she covered a huge amount of court, snaring up a series of well-timed tips and working hard to set up a series of intercepts.
Fellow midcourters Grace Rasmussen and Larrissa Willcox responded, and the previously assured Swifts started spilling the ball, while pressure exerted by Mystics defenders Althea Byfield and Joline Henry cut down their options into the circle.
With a steady supply of turnover possession, the Mystics controlled play well, and Cathrine Latu and Tutaia obliged with some composed shooting to close the gap.
Midway through the second quarter, the Swifts had managed just three goals to the Mystics' 10, and the Auckland-based team hit the front for the first time at 21-20 ahead.
However, the Swifts, who won the 2008 league before finishing ninth last year, showed real grit to stem the flow and edged out to a narrow two-goal halftime lead. The Australians dug deep in the third quarter, gradually reasserting some midcourt dominance, as Sonia Mkoloma and goal defence Rebecca Bulley closed down the attacking third.
All of the Mystics' excellent second-quarter work in maintaining possession and cutting back the contact and obstruction penalties to a minimum disappeared in the third spell as they managed just seven goals in 15 minutes.
Coach Te Aroha Keenan benched Rasmussen at the end of the third quarter, bringing on Jenny-May Coffin at wing attack and sparking a promising five-goal run, but the high error rate and lack of discipline proved insurmountable.
- AGENCIES
