SKYCITY Mystics (57) Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (52)

Media Release
Sunday 29 March 2015

Official Result & Statistics

Official Result: SKYCITY Mystics (57) defeated Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (52)
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SKYCITY Mystics produced a storming final quarter to chase down the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in posting a 57-52 win and cementing top spot in the New Zealand conference in Auckland on Sunday.

Mystics captain Maria Tutaia repeated her stellar performance of the previous week, leading from the front to play another instrumental role as the home team were forced to come from behind to clinch the result.

Shooting with confidence, Tutaia nailed a 92 percent success rate with 23 shots from 25 attempts while also providing good value on defence. The experience of Tutaia, Cathrine Latu, Laura Langman and import Selena Guthrie emerged in the final quarter after a tight and lively contest.

Trailing at each of the breaks, key second half changes to the Mystics line-up provided the intensity and impetus to break the Steel’s grip on the game. Under constant pressure throughout the second half, the young southern team failed to hold their nerve, increasing numbers of turnovers adding to their demise.

Both teams fronted with relatively stable line-ups, Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick getting the start at goalkeeper for the home side while Jane Watson adopted the same bib for the Steel in her first start of the season.

The game started at a fast clip and remained that way throughout. Steel wing attack Gina Crampton got her team on the front foot early with her precision feeding to 1.98m shooting maestro Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, who helped give the southerners the edge.

Defensively the Steel were also prominent in creating turnover opportunities, pressing the Mystics into sloppy errors and slowing the home team’s momentum.

Down by four, the Mystics fought back purposefully to get themselves right back into the contest, a late rally leaving the Steel with a narrow 16-15 lead at the first break.

Showing great patience in getting the ball to shooters Tutaia and Latu, with centre Langman playing a prominent role, Mystics quickly got the game back on level terms.

The arm wrestle did not last long, Steel recovering from their lull to score five unanswered goals to once again assume control. With more ball at their disposal, Fowler-Reid remained peerless under the Steel goal as she steered her team to a handy 31-26 lead at the main break.

The Mystics rolled out the changes for the second half as the game stepped up a pace with young in-circle defenders Katherine Coffin (goal defence) and Temalisi Fakahokotau (goal keeper) replacing Kayla Cullen and Tone-Fitzpatrick respectively. Nadia Loveday also replaced Camilla Lees at wing attack.

The simple instruction was not to sit back but to attack the ball. The offensive mindset paid immediate dividends as the home team’s defensive line gained numerous early turnovers as the lead was whittled down to three.

Steel held firm but faced some testing times from the revitalised home team. Form defender Phoenix Karaka, a second half replacement, made her presence felt in the Mystics circle while captain Wendy Frew (wing defence) was a model of composure as the visitors just kept the willing Mystics at bay.

Narrowing the gap to two, Mystics ensured an exciting run to the finish line when Steel were pegged back to a 41-39 lead at the last break.

Mystics shooting statistics:
Cathrine Latu 34/37 (92%)
Maria Tutaia 23/25 (92%)

Steel shooting statistics:
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 38/48 (79%)
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 14/17 (82%)

MVP: Laura Langman (SKYCITY Mystics)

END

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