Netball: Mystics make a mockery of Tactix

Maria Tutaia was in strong form as the Mystics thrashed the Tactix. Photo / Getty

Northern Mystics 71 Canterbury Tactix 47

A commanding second quarter carried the Northern Mystics to a comprehensive victory over the Canterbury Tactix tonight.

The Mystics (3-4) might have expected an easy evening's work, given the Tactix (0-7) languish in last place in the ANZ Premiership, but they had no way of knowing just how comfortable it would be at Trusts Arena in Waitakere.

The match was over as a contest by halftime as the Tactix slumped to their 15th consecutive defeat, a run of inadequacy that last week saw coach Sue Hawkins fall on her sword.

And while the Tactix showed encouraging signs under new coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek in Sunday's bonus-point loss to the Northern Stars, things quickly deteriorated against Auckland's other team.

The visitors actually led for the majority of the first quarter but that apparently succeeded only in angering their opponents, who then sought revenge in a blistering 15-minute spell.

In the span separated by the first break, the Mystics went from trailing 8-10 to leading 31-16, opening up a game-winning gap in some of the most one-sided netball of the season.

In the second quarter alone, the home side established a 21-5 edge, a period fuelled by 12 Tactix turnovers as Anna Harrison snaffled three interceptions. The Tactix tried to reshuffle their team but nothing could halt the carnage, with the Mystics at one point scoring eight goals without reply to essentially kill off the match.

While they occasionally struggled for accuracy in Monday's loss to the table-topping Steel, Silver Fern duo Bailey Mes (45/51) and Maria Tutaia (20/23) were tonight both at their slick best, combining well with wing attack Elisapeta Toeava and taking turns to show off their quick hands and precise touch.

The deficit increased to 25 by the end of the third quarter and, on tonight's evidence, it's difficult to imagine where the Tactix could find their first win.