Canterbury Tactix 56
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have kept alive hopes of defending their trans-Tasman netball league title with a crucial 59-56 win over the late-charging Canterbury Tactix in Christchurch tonight.
The home team had high hopes of backing up well from their first win in more than a year, against the Southern Steel on Thursday night, but they were behind the pace for most of the match against a fluent Thunderbirds side which needed to win to maintain their playoff hopes.
Adelaide's victory, their fourth from nine matches, sees them move to within two points of the top four despite an inconsistent season to date.
The Tactix, meanwhile, will be lamenting concentration lapses at vital times and the inability of their defence to halt Adelaide's key attackers, in particular wing attack Emily Beaton and Jamaican international goal shoot Carla Borrego.
Beaton had a field day feeding the shooting circle, finding the skilful Borrego at will with a wide range of passes and superb vision.
Borrego was as dominant under the goal post, netting 44 from 48 attempts in a high-scoring but extra physical game which saw plenty of players get up close and personal with the floorboards.
Perennial slow starters, the Tactix went blow for blow with the Thunderbirds in an impressive first quarter, but they struggled in the second stanza when goal keep Kasey Evering was forced from the court with a left knee injury, prompting a reshuffle.
The Thunderbirds pulled away to lead 35-26 at halftime and were cruising with a 10-goal lead midway through the final quarter, but a late surge from the Tactix, on the back of a high penalty count against the Thunderbirds, reduced the winning margin to three.
The Tactix put up more shots than the visitors - 68 to 66 - but Borrego's accuracy proved to be the difference.
Adelaide Thunderbirds 59 (Carla Borrego 44/48, Erin Bell 15/18) Canterbury Tactix 56 (Donna Wilkins 32/35, Anna Thompson 24/33). Halftime: 35-26.
- NZPA
