Netball: Pulse score key win

The accurate shooting of Irene van Dyk, left, and Jodi Brown allowed the Pulse to build a steady lead. Photo / Christine Cornege

The Central Pulse have injected some life in to their ANZ Championship campaign.

After opening the season with three losses in four games, they scored a crucial New Zealand conference victory over the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in Wellington tonight.
The 49-38 margin was a fair reflection for a Pulse side who produced their best performance of 2015.

They were given a scratchy draw with last year's grand finalists on the agenda in the first two games and they didn't cover themselves in glory with their loss to the Mystics last week. They mixed in a win over the Mainland Tactix in round three.

With the new points format, victories over teams from your own conference are almost worth double points as you forward your own ladder position and hurt the status of a rival.

Importantly for the Pulse, it will be a major confidence booster after they looked sloppy in the early weeks.

The second quarter was where the Pulse took control of the game. They won the frame 15-8, which helped them open up a 10-point margin that they took to halftime.

The accurate shooting of Irene van Dyk (24/30) and Jodi Brown (25/30) allowed the Pulse to build a steady lead, while the Magic had few answers at the defensive end.

Pulse skipper Katrina Grant and her defensive partner Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit were also busy as they shut the Magic down. The visitors were unable to bring the ball through court with the required continuity.

The Pulse registered 11 intercepts to the Magic's six, which exemplified how much pressure they applied when the Magic had the ball.

Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald regularly tweaked her line-up throughout the game as she searched for a winning formula but her side didn't deliver.

A 6-2 run to finish the third quarter meant the Pulse entered the final stanza with a 41-26 lead. Translation: The game was over.

The Pulse have made a habit of blowing fourth-quarter leads in seasons gone by but they were never going to cough this one up as they closed out the result in comfortable fashion.

The Magic have lost three of their opening five games, which is the same record as the Pulse; they're in second and third on the New Zealand ladder, respectively. The Mystics lead the Kiwi conference with three wins, a loss and a draw.

The Pulse have a bye during next week's Easter round, while the Magic host the Mystics in Rotorua on Sunday.

Central Pulse 49 (Irene van Dyk 24/30, Jodi Brown 25/30)
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 38 (Jo Harten 25/30, Ellen Halpenny 11/13, Malia Paseka 2/3) 1Q: 12-9, halftime: 27-17, 3Q: 41-26