Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel defeat Mojo Pulse

Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (50) defeated Mojo Pulse (49)

A youthful Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel took a major step towards securing a spot in the play-offs with a thrilling 50-49 win over the experienced Mojo Pulse in Dunedin on Saturday.

With the race for the top three in the New Zealand conference heating up, today’s clash in the match-up between the third and fourth-placed teams was crucial to both. Chasing for much of the game, Pulse came back time and again only to be denied in the final minute.

Finally taking the lead with just under four minutes to go, Pulse let the opportunity to nail the two points slip from their grasp with an unforced error with under a minute to play. Steel held their nerve, the result rocketing them into second place on the table while the talent-laden visitors find themselves in a large hole with a huge effort needed to get back in the mix and time running out.

There were no surprises in the Steel’s starting seven, goal attack Te Paea Selby-Rickit getting the nod over Brooke Leaver, who produced an eye-catching cameo performance the previous week.

Veteran shooter Irene van Dyk got the start under the hoop ahead of Ameliaranne Wells, who had not trained all week, while England import Ama Agbeze picked up the goalkeeper’s bib.

There was nothing in a tight and even opening stanza. The Steel enjoyed a relatively easy passage to goal with feeders Gina Crampton and Shannon Francois having little trouble getting the ball into the hands of the league’s tallest shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid. The Jamaican import was a telling presence under the Steel hoop as the Pulse defenders struggled to make an impact.

Trailing by three at various stages during the first quarter, a late surge from the visitors, who were measured and patient in their execution, helped balance the ledger to leave the scores locked at 14-all at the first break.

Steel’s safety with the ball frustrated the Pulse, who quickly found themselves on the back foot in the second stanza. Showing her growing maturity, Selby-Rickit was a standout during this spell with her accurate feeding to Fowler-Reid and ability to sink long range shots.

The Steel’s low turnover rate added to the pressure on the Pulse, unforced errors helping the home team skip out to a five-goal lead. Against her former team, Jodi Brown put in a huge effort to keep the Pulse in the hunt.

Getting through a big workload while providing sure shooting, Brown inspired a stirring rally from the visitors to level the scores before the home team put their foot down once again.

A late burst gave the Steel a 31-27 cushion at the main break.

That instigated changes for the Pulse for the second half with the introduction of Wells, young centre Whitney Souness for Elias Shadrock, and defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, joining her sister on court, for Agbeze. Wells made an immediate impact by scoring the first three goals of the stanza to draw the visitors to within one.

An exciting and intense contest ensued as fortunes ebbed and flowed during a riveting duel. With the injection of Wells and Souness adding to Pulse’s attacking momentum, the visitors looked likely but Steel refused to concede.

With the Pulse holding a slight edge through the third stanza, Brown was again a standout with her ability to create and convert. Captain Wendy Frew remained a tower of strength for the home team, calming her troops as the southerners held a slim 41-39 lead at the last break.

Steel shooting statistics:
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 35/44 (80%)
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 15/18 (83%)

Pulse shooting statistics:
Jodi Brown 31/33 (94%)
Irene van Dyk 7/9 (78%)
Ameliaranne Wells 11/16 (69%)

MVP:Shannon Francois (Steel)

END

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