MYSTICS 54
PULSE 48
KEY POINTS:
The Northern Mystics brushed aside the pressure amid rumours of a rift among the team to record just their second win of the season - albeit a patchy one - over the Central Pulse in Wellington last night.
The Mystics came into the match under much scrutiny after reports that players within the camp were unhappy with team selections.
But while not always a convincing performance, the Mystics produced the finish when needed. Had they lost to the bottom-of-the-table Pulse the knives would have again been out for coach Yvonne Willering.
Mystics captain and player of the match, Temepara George, admitted there was a lot of outside pressure on her side, but she was thrilled with the way they responded.
"We were able to block that pressure out and just concentrate on our own job. You know we are a team of 12 and the bench there were cheering us on," she said.
In the wake of criticism over Willering's player selections, which have favoured those who played under her at the Northern Force, the Mystics fielded a very different starting line-up from that of previous weeks.
Former Diamonds captain Stephanie Bond started at wing-defence, with Sheryl Scanlan moving across to goal-defence, while young Paula Griffin was given the nod ahead of Cathrine Latu at goal-shoot.
Despite limited game time this season, Griffin made a confident and assertive start, displaying strong movement around the circle and seemed to combine a lot more effectively with Jade Topia.
Griffin's assertive performance is certain to spark questions as to why the rookie Silver Fern has been left warming the bench for so long.
Fresh off a bye last week the Mystics looked to have a new lease on life as they romped out to an early five-goal lead on the back of some slick work in the attack end. But the Auckland side soon slumped back into their old ways, making life hard for themselves with unforced errors and general sloppy play.
After holding a four-goal lead at halftime, the Mystics inexplicably unravelled in the second spell, unforced errors seeing the Pulse level the score at 18-18 midway through the period. But the visitors produced a strong run towards the end of the quarter, with midcourt dynamo Temepara George settling her side with some inspired feeding into the circle.
The Pulse secured a break early in the third period with goal-keep Kahurangi Waititi coming through for a clean intercept in the Mystics first foray into the attacking third. This brought the Wellington-based side were able to level the score just two minutes into the period. And they were able to push on as the sterling work in the Pulse defensive circle continued through the third period. The home side opened up a three-goal lead prompting the Mystics to call an injury time-out which gave them the opportunity to introduce bustling defender Vilimaina Davu in to the game and reshuffle their defence.
But the changes could not slow down the Pulse, as they were able to stretch the advantage out to five goals.
Some composed shooting from Griffin saw the Mystics produce a late rally to whittle the deficit back to three heading in to the final spell, with the home side holding a 41-38 lead.
A final-spell change saw the Mystics introduce Latu at goal-shoot with Griffin moving out to goal-attack. The move paid immediate dividends, the Mystics taking the lead and building on it until the fulltime whistle.
