SKYCITY Mystics captain Maria Tutaia knows they’ll be in for a tough battle when they face the Cold Power Magic in the New Zealand Conference Elimination Final on Sunday afternoon. 
Progressing through to the Conference Finals by the slimmest of margins, the Mystics are hitting their straps at the right end of the season, pushing the NSW Swifts before defeating the Tactix in Round 14.
“I’m very proud of them,” Tutaia said of her team.
“We’ve still got a long way to go, but we know that our trainings have been solid over the last month in particular.
“What happens outside the circle has a huge influence on what happens inside, and vice versa.
“It has been tough for our centres, wing attacks and for Kat and I, but it has started to click now.”
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Tutaia knows finals netball is a different ball game, and the Magic – the only team to feature in Finals Series in every year of the league – will also been desperate for the win.
“We have a strong backbone; we have players that have been there before and are willing to work hard for each other,” she said.
“For me, I have to focus on playing my own game; Leana [de Bruin] is an outstanding defender and has a never-say-die attitude which has always been one of her strengths.
“I’m a huge believer that it’s the pressure that you put on yourself.
“We’ve been under the pump all season; we’ve had so many injuries and so many players asked to play out of position.
“We’re a hard working team; the players that we have, the calibre of players – we’re willing to put each other under pressure to ensure we’re in a position to perform in the toughest of times.”
The Cold Power Magic will host the SKYCITY Mystics in the New Zealand Conference Elimination Final on Sunday 10 July at Claudelands Arena, Hamilton. Fans can also catch all the action LIVE on SKY Sport NZ and FOX SPORTS Australia from 4pm (local time).
The winner of this match will progress through to the New Zealand Conference Final against the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel on Sunday 17 July, at ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill.
