Vixens 58
Magic 43
The Melbourne Vixens confirmed their short-priced favouritism for the trans-Tasman netball league title as Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic crashed to a second consecutive heavy defeat in Australia today.
The Vixens ensured hosting rights for the grand final in a fortnight with a 58-43 win over Magic in the major semifinal at Hisense Arena.
It left coach Noeline Taurua's struggling lineup needing to beat either Adelaide Thunderbirds or Southern Steel at home next weekend to book a rematch against Melbourne.
But it is difficult to see the star-studded Magic turning the tables on the Vixens, whose captain Sharelle McMahon led a dominant performance today.
McMahon shot 21 from 22 while goal shoot Caitlin Thwaites hit 35 of 41.
For Magic, the league's most accurate shooter, Irene van Dyk, had 24 from 25 and Maria Tutaia shot 19 from 23 against impressive Vixens defenders Bianca Chatfield and Julie Corletto.
The Magic inflicted the only defeat on Melbourne this season, 55-48 at home in round 10, but were hammered 84-54 in the penalty count today and struggled to keep pace.
"We really wanted to come out here and show dominance right from the start. We had a good start but probably didn't push it right through," star defender Casey Williams told Channel 10.
A week after a sluggish effort in a 35-54 loss in Adelaide, the Magic zipped to a 6-3 lead and forced four Vixens turnovers in the first five minutes.
But they soon incurred the wrath of the umpires, a trans-Tasman pairing of Australian Sharon Kelly and New Zealand's Mandy Nottingham.
The visitors were whistled for 22 contact or obstruction penalties to Vixens' six in the opening quarter as they flew into their work, perhaps mindful of Taurua labelling them "defensively soft" in Adelaide.
That helped Melbourne race to a 16-10 lead at the first break.
Taurua had limited options on her bench with pregnant defender Leana de Bruin in Melbourne but not considered, while midcourter Frances Solia was ruled out due to a calf strain.
It saw Jodi Tod at goal defence and Jess Tuki at wing attack, and the unfamiliar combinations showed in comparison to a slick Vixens midcourt.
Momentum shifted slightly in the second quarter as Magic goal keep Williams stole some key intercepts and van Dyk narrowed the gap to three goals.
But the umpires appeared to award all the 50-50 contact calls to Vixens and with a brace of McMahon intercepts they went to halftime up 30-24.
Thwaites was lethal in the first half with 16 from 16, the only shooter from either side to keep a perfect record.
It didn't improve for Magic and, finally, at 29-40 down with 5min remaining in the third quarter, Taurua took action.
She introduced the inexperienced Halana Leith to the midcourt and reshuffled her defensive end, with Laura Langman going from centre to wing defence, Williams to goal defence and Joline Henry to goal keep.
By then it was too late as the home side extended their lead to 44-31 at three-quarter time after van Dyk remarkably hoisted just two shots in that 15min period.
It got worse for the Magic when Leith was assisted off after tumbling to the court clutching her right knee late in the match.
- NZPA
