Melbourne Vixens 54
The Northern Mystics staged a stirring fightback to beat the Melbourne Vixens 56-64 in a thrilling finish to a trans-Tasman netball championship match at Auckland tonight.
With both teams boasting their share of international players, it was inevitable the tie was played at breakneck speed.
The Vixens, third in the table, looked to have the edge thanks to veteran goal attack Sharelle McMahon who tormented Mystics defenders Anna Scarlett and Jessica Moulds with her ability to drive or roll into space in the circle or make the wily feed to goal shoot Kate Beveridge.
McMahon was ably supported by midcourters Chelsea Tregear and Madison Browne.
But though they looked at times to be able to slice open the Mystics defence the hosts stayed in touch with some hard play from skipper and centre Temepara George and wing attack Megan Dehn.
The Mystics perhaps missed the toughness of Joline Henry at wing defence as the Silver Fern sat out the match with an ankle injury.
The Vixens looked to have taken a comfortable five-goal lead at halftime, 31-26, but Mystics coach Debbie Fuller played her first ace at the start of the third quarter with some subtle changes.
In came Grace Rasmussen for Dehn at wing attack while Portia Woodman came on at wing defence in place of Kayla Cullen who was moved to goal defender in place of Moulds.
The more mobile Cullen clicked immediately with Scarlett to unsettle the Vixens attack and McMahon and Beveridge found their time and space immediately reduced.
At the other end, goal shoot Cathrine Latu was in fine form sinking all her nine shots in the third quarter while a subdued Maria Tutaia also made every one of her five attempts count as the pair dragged the Mystics to within one goal of the Vixens, 40-41, on the back of some spirited play by their teammates at the end of the third quarter.
Fuller then played her second ace, one which the Vixens had no answer to.
She sent Dehn on for Tutaia (11/16) and the Mystics immediately went on a roll as the Australian, in tandem with George began to take control of the game.
Dehn also buried her first couple of shots to give the Mystics the lead for the first time in the match early in the final quarter and then sank her next three to help hold off the Vixens who charged back to level at 46-46.
Latu took over from there, sinking all her shots as the Mystics retained a two-goal lead from five minutes out to the end of the match and notch a third win at home over an Australian side in championship history having knocked over the Adelaide Thunderbirds and West Coast Fever last season.
Mystics 56 (Cathrine Latu 40/42, Maria Tutaia 11/16, Megan Dehn 5/6) Melbourne Vixens 54 (Kate Beveridge 29/37, Sharelle McMahon 25/30) Northern Halftime: 26-31.
- NZPA
