The Northern Stars are on the rise. Photo / Photosport
The Northern Stars are on the rise. Photo / Photosport
The tables have turned on Auckland's netball scene.
The Northern Stars - last year's wooden spooners - further asserted their dominance as the top Auckland franchise, taking down the Northern Mystics for the second time this season in the ANZ Premiership.
Claiming a 64-50 win over their northern rivals on Super Sunday at Auckland's Trusts Arena, the Stars showcased the same promising form which now has them on track for a playoff berth.
Fast off the blocks in the opening quarter, the Stars surged ahead with eight unanswered goals as the Mystics struggled to get on the board.
Northern Stars vice-captain Ellen Halpenny. Photo / Photosport
Stars shooting duo Maia Wilson and Ellen Halpenny dominated in the circle with impressive connection and accuracy, while their defensive unit picked up plenty of ball.
Meanwhile, young shooter Grace Nweke was up against defensive duo Leana de Bruin and Storm Purvis in her first start for the Mystics this season.
Although the 17-year-old put up a decent performance under the hoop, she wasn't supplied enough ball to make the impact the Mystics needed.
Picking up their pace significantly in the second quarter, however, the Mystics managed to pull themselves back into the game and chip away at the Stars' hefty nine-goal lead.
Nweke and Bailey Mes asserted their presence in the circle and the home side started to play with direction and intent.
In response, Stars head coach Kiri Wills then called her Australian import shooter Charlee Hodges to the court in the second half.
After spending much of the season on the bench, Hodges made the most of her time on court with an 88 per cent shooting performance, as well as setting up plenty of shots for Wilson with swift circle edge feeds.
Mystics captain Phoenix Karaka did her best to combat the Stars' attacking unit, snatching four intercepts, while fighting to lift her side's spirits.
But as the game entered its final minutes, the Stars continued to showcase their new-found dominance to claim their fifth win of the season.
"We knew that it was going to be a hard game and we knew that they were going to come out fighting, but I'm really proud of the girls for just keeping their composure," said Stars captain de Bruin.
They now sit in third on the ladder, with the Central Pulse leading the way, having extended their unbeaten run to further secure top spot.
Whitney Souness of the Pulse competes for the ball against Charlotte Elley of the Tactix. Photo / Photosport
They now sit in third on the ladder on 15 points, with the Central Pulse leading the way on 18, having defeated the Mainland Tactix 48-33 to extend their perfect start to six wins from six.
It was the Tactix who took control in the early stages of the clash, however, jumping out to an early 6-2 lead with captain Jane Watson leading her defensive unit.
Picking up vital ball for her side, the Silver Ferns defender applied early pressure on Pulse shooters Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Tiana Metuarau, but it didn't take long for the Wellington side to find their usual form.
Quickly making back lost ground, the Pulse surged ahead to close the first quarter with a four-goal lead before further extending their buffer to seven by halftime.
Whitney Souness became a driving force for the Pulse throughout the midcourt, as she found effortless connection with her shooters from the circle edge.
Meanwhile, the Tactix continued to snatch turnovers but their attacking unit's inability to convert at vital times continued to let them down.
Aliyah Dunn was called up to join Metuarau in the shooting circle in the second half – one of the first times the young duo have played together this season.
Dominating with the same formidable form which earned them much praise last season as the ones to watch, the pair made handling Tactix defenders look like a breeze.
It was well and truly a game of catch-up for the Cantabrians by the final quarter as they battled to chip away at a hefty 15-goal lead.
And as expected, it proved too big of an ask as the Pulse closed the game in style.
The Steel dominated the Magic in the final game. Photo / Photosport
Bouncing back from a loss against the Pulse last week, the Southern Steel secured their fifth win of the season in the final clash of Super Sunday.
Taking down the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 59-46, the Steel held onto their early lead despite a strong fourth quarter effort from Casey Kopua's side.
The Steel's win meant no changes were made to the overall standings at the conclusion of today's tripleheader, with the top three teams establishing a comfortable buffer over the bottom. The Steel move into second on 17 points, with the Stars on 15, but holding a big gap back to the Magic and Tactix, on six.
