Swifts 44
The Northern Mystics finally delivered the 60 minutes of superb netball they have been promising all season with a 49-44 win over NSW Swifts in their trans-Tasman league minor semifinal clash in Sydney today.
The Auckland-based franchise out-rebounded, out-shot and outplayed their more favoured opponents to score just their second win on Australian soil in four years.
Despite losing the final quarter 11-13, the Mystics were deserving winners as the Swifts were left playing scrambling, catch-up netball almost from the first whistle.
The Mystics will now play the loser of tomorrow's Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic v Queensland Firebirds major semifinal on the Gold Coast in next week's preliminary final.
Coach Debbie Fuller said the result demonstrated just what the Mystics could do when they retained possession.
"It goes to show what we can do if we don't throw the ball away," she said afterwards.
"That's one of the things we've been working on - scoring on our possession and holding on to it."
The Mystics gave a hint of what was to come when they put together their best start of the season to lead 15-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Although both sides matched each other goal for goal early on, the Swifts were first to convert the turnover ball and edged away to a 7-4 lead midway through the spell.
But the Mystics' in-circle defence of Anna Scarlett and Kayla Cullen worked hard to pressure Catherine Cox and Susan Pratley, forcing the veteran Australian goal shoot out from under the post.
Her accuracy proved equal to the task, but Pratley struggled to find room in the circle and space or time to shoot.
Cullen, who shows huge promise at just 19 years old, impressed with quick hands and feet, and an eagle eye for the intercept.
She backed that up with good vision and timing on the turnover ball, and wasn't afraid to fire in the long-range pass to Cathrine Latu when the gaps opened.
The Mystics will be hoping Cullen, off for the hectic last couple of minutes with a calf injury, will be fit for next week's preliminary final.
Latu started slowly, with Tutaia taking on the early responsibility for putting the shot up. But as Latu eased into her work, her domination of the base-line paid dividends as the Mystics went on a five-goal shooting streak to close out the first quarter.
They doubled that lead in an impressive second stanza, their pace through the midcourt impressive as centre Temepara George and Megan Dehn at wing attack roamed almost at will.
Dehn's cool thinking and netball smarts proved invaluable on transition from defence and in opening the links into the Mystics' shooting circle, while George's drive and vision on the feed kept Swifts' circle defenders Sonia Mkoloma and Rebecca Bulley scrambling.
With the Mystics leading 28-20 at halftime, Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald was forced into changes, replacing Pratley with Amy Wild and moving the abrasive Mo'onia Gerrard from wing defence across to goal defence in a bid to rein in Tutaia.
The Swifts responded positively, Wild introducing a little more movement into the circle as well as a more accurate shooting option to take the pressure off Cox.
The defence tightened, too, as Mkoloma and Gerrard shut down the paths into Latu and Tutaia in the circle.
But although the Swifts battled back to narrow the margin to four as the third quarter neared an end, the Mystics regathered to score the last three goals of the spell and enter the last 15 minutes 38-31 ahead.
And the Aucklanders maintained that control in the final quarter, showing poise and control to shut out the win.
Northern Mystics 49 (Cathrine Latu 25/27, Maria Tutaia 24/31) NSW Swifts 44 (Catherine Cox 28/36, Susan Pratley 8/10, Amy Wild 8/8). Halftime: 28-20.
- NZPA
