Vixens 62 Mystics 51
The Northern Mystics showed their first real glimpses of what a dangerous side they are against the unbeaten Melbourne Vixens last night, but again inconsistency proved their undoing.
The Auckland side overcame a slow start across the Tasman to claw their way into the match at halftime, but the well-drilled Vixens outfit put the visitors away in the closing stages.
The eventual 11-goal scoreline perhaps did not accurately reflect how tightly contested the match was, with the Mystics putting the defending champions under real pressure for the first time this season.
For a while the Mystics, who suffered a humiliating 17-goal loss to the Queensland Firebirds last week, even made the defending champs look fallible.
But with a narrow four-goal lead at three-quarter time and the game in the balance, the Vixens showed their class, surging ahead in the final spell as they capitalised on a string of early attacking errors from the visitors.
It started ominously for the Mystics as the home side, led by the indomitable Sharelle McMahon, rocketed out of the blocks while the Auckland side struggled to match them for pace and accuracy.
Leading 17-10 at the first break, the Vixens made a fast start to the second quarter, stretching their advantage out to 11.
But just when it looked as if the Mystics were going to unravel like they did in last week's dismal loss to the Queensland Firebirds, their much-vaunted defensive line stepped up the intensity, forcing the typically clinical Vixens attackers into error after error.
Silver Ferns defender Joline Henry, who has had a quiet start to the season as she battles back from a calf injury, led the charge with four rebounds, two intercepts and two deflections for the second quarter alone.
With the Mystics enjoying a wealth of possession, their confidence grew on attack, and as result they were able to claw the deficit back to just two goals just minutes before halftime.
Stunned by the visitors' fightback, the Vixens struck another blow a couple of minutes before the break, with star centre Natasha Chokljat forced off the court with a calf injury.
After looking out of sorts in the second quarter, the Vixens regained their composure in the third as they upped their work-rate on attack to eke a four-goal lead at the final turn.
The home side then pounced on a string of Mystics' errors early on in the fourth to stretch out a handy seven-goal lead, and took control from there.
