Although the dogged Fever could not wrest a win off the Kiwi giants at home in Perth, they played their part in Australia winning the Rivalry Round.
The low score in the match confirmed the tight defensive nature of the game, where the lead see-sawed right up until the last gasp.
Van Dyk relished the traditional wrangle with Fever goal keep Susan Fuhrmann, but still managed to shoot 25 from 26 and applauded the young Fever side for throwing everything they had at the Magic.
The Waikato-Bay of Plenty side stamped their authority early, opening up a six-goal rift, while the Fever, though competitive, squandered hard-fought ball.
In the Magic attack, Juliana Naoupu wasn’t afraid to put up the long shots early on to support van Dyk, despite the long intrusive arms of Ama Agbeze.
The Fever’s goal attack Leah Shoard was strong on the ball, and determined under the post, extending herself to elude her Silver Fern opponent Casey Williams. As the homeside gathered momentum, driving through court with purpose, the difference reduced to one at the end of the opening quarter, 11-10 to the Magic.
The Fever continued to burn through court after the break, and with the defensive wall of Agbeze and Furhmann stalling the Magic attack, the Perth side took the lead.
Sulu Tone Fitzpatrick, at goal keep for the Magic, kept her side in touch with some masterful steals under the Fever goal. As the quarter ticked away, van Dyk finally made her own space beneath the hoop and the Magic took control of proceedings again, to sneak ahead 20-18 at halftime.
Ashlee Howard entered the match at goal attack to give more shooting impetus to the Fever assault, pushing Shoard out to wing attack. Straight away Howard potted four from four attempts to draw the Fever level.
As the perennial hard-hitting battle between van Dyk and Fuhrmann raged, neither was able to establish a clear upperhand.
Heavy pressure in the midcourt by the Magic, controlled by Laura Langman, forced the Fever into mistakes they could not afford, and once again the Magic went into the break on top, 31-28.
With Agbeze and Fuhrmann working overtime to snatch rebounds, the Fever equalized once more, and it was goal for goal for the next 10 minutes.
As quickly as the Magic built a three-goal lead, they lost it again through two wayward passes in the heat of the moment. At 38-all with three minutes remaining, the Perth crowd erupted in cheers for their side.
Within seconds remaining it was van Dyk’s sure hands under the goal that finally sealed the Magic victory and placed them second overall, two points behind the Firebirds.
