Breakthrough win for Tactix at the ANZ Netball Championships

Mercury Energy Tactix rid themselves of an unwanted record with their spirited come-from-behind 49-44 win over Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in Christchurch tonight.  Celebrating their return home, the Tactix notched their first win in 18 trans-Tasman outings stretching back to the first round in 2010 with a storming third quarter.

 

With the visitors seemingly in control after a dominant first half, an emotionally-charged Tactix turned the game on its head with a powerful third stanza, to blast a tiring Steel out of the contest. 

 

Cantabrians turned out in force with over 5,000 attending the Tactix' first home match since their season-opener, played the day before the February 22 earthquake. Patrons were asked for a gold coin donation with proceeds being directed towards the re-development of community and youth netball in Christchurch.

 

It was an unchanged Steel line-up who made the best of starts. Carrying on from their winning exploits against the Adelaide Thunderbirds in their latest outing, the visitors were slick through the midcourt. Shooters Paula Griffin and Daneka Wipiiti controlled the circle and positioned well for a ready supply of ball. 

 

Tactix had problems penetrating their own circle and getting the ball past well-performed defensive duo Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and Leana de Bruin. Shooters Anna Thompson and Donna Wilkins were accurate when they got the ball but they did not get enough of it in their hands as Steel headed to the first break with a 15-10 lead.

 

The visitors maintained their five-goal advantage through the second spell but Tactix showed enough enterprise to suggest they were far from done.  Riding the benefits of a tighter defensive effort, the home team found their feet late in the stanza with a mini surge to reduce the deficit to two. They lost some of their momentum with a couple of unlucky calls, the Steel making the most of their good fortune through the ever-improving shooting combination of Griffin and Wipiiti to lead 26-21 at the main interval.

 

The injection of youngster Jo Trip at goal defence coincided with a rejuvenated Tactix, who started the second half with a hiss and a roar. Showing more urgency and penetration on attack, Phillipa Finch and captain Maree Bowden led the charge while Thompson was tireless in setting up Wilkins under the hoop.  Defensively, there was a huge shift in momentum with Jamaican import Kasey Evering sparking into life and completing shutting the dangerous Wipiiti out of the game. She was ably supported by Trip while Bowden picked up bonus turnover ball with her defensively strong efforts right through court.