Magic 48
Steel 39
Southern Steel fans disappointed by the team's transtasman netball league loss last night can console themselves with the knowledge that international goal shoot Irene van Dyk is not perfect after all.
Van Dyk was again a dominant figure as she helped lift Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic to a victory in Invercargill.
The Silver Ferns star has now lauded over Southern Steel in four ANZ Championship matches, and before last night she had posted an incredible 136 goals against that franchise from 136 attempts. But the unthinkable occurred during the second quarter when Van Dyk missed an attempt for the first time against the Robyn Broughton-coached Steel.
She was to be inaccurate with another three attempts before completing the match with 29 from 33, or 88 per cent.
It was a minor victory for Southern Steel in the wider battle won convincingly enough by New Zealand's best franchise, who improved their season's track record to seven wins from eight matches.
The southerners remain in fifth place on eight points and retain their semifinals hopes after eight rounds.
But on the evidence of tonight's performance they have much work to do.
The Magic made the more clinical start as they eased out to a 15-10 advantage by the first break, a lead extended to 25-17 by halftime as the visitors put up six more shots at goal.
The Steel stirred in the third quarter, pegging the difference back to four as a parochial crowd found its voice.
But the Magic are considered best transtasman title hopes for a reason and they regained their poise to control possession.
The hosts were down 29-40 entering the last quarter, when they lost captain and wing attack Adine Wilson with an aggravated a calf injury, forcing Broughton to switch Liana Barrett-Chase from centre and introduce Wendy Telfer.
Magic skipper Joline Henry said any win in Invercargill was good but Magic still had work to do: "We played well in patches but we're still not happy with our consistency."
Wilson said the Steel at no stage hit their straps: "It sort of felt like every pass took a whole lot of effort just to get there. Magic did a really good job making it feel like that, they set up great on defence and slowed our attackers down."
- NZPA
