Netball: Mystics fall to Swifts

The Northern Mystics' inconsistency over 60 minutes proved their downfall as a third-quarter slump led to a 48-54 loss to competition leaders NSW Swifts in a trans-Tasman netball league match in Auckland today.

Trailing 28-30 at halftime and 35-44 with 15 minutes remaining, the sixth-placed Mystics battled back in the closing quarter, closing the gap to just three goals with under 3min to go.

But the Swifts responded in kind, lifting in the final stages to maintain possession and close out the win.

The Mystics finished the game with six players as goal attack Maria Tutaia was stood down with 90 seconds remaining for persistent breaking at the centre pass.

The decision had little effect on the final result, as the Swifts had held their nerve to ease away to a five-goal lead when Tutaia was benched.

The Swifts remain unbeaten this season, and 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 Temepara George, always a consistent performer, really upped the tempo as the second quarter began.

George's workrate 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 steadily 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 15min.

Coach Te Aroha Keenan benched Rasmussen at the end of the third quarter, bringing on the experienced Jenny-May Coffin at wing attack and sparking a promising five-goal run, but the Mystics' high error rate and lack of discipline proved insurmountable.

- NZPA