Staff Writers, Sunday, 8 July 2012.
The Melbourne Vixens booked a home Grand Final following their well-constructed 56-50 win over the Northern Mystics in the Major Semi-Final in Melbourne today.
Trailing through the first half, the Minor Premiers made their customary charge with a decisive third quarter at Rod Laver Arena to set up a winning platform. Leading the way after a quiet first half were shooters Karyn Howarth and Tegan Caldwell and classy defender Geva Mentor, the trio leaving an indelible mark.
Mystics, who get a second chance against the winner of the minor semi-final between Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic and Adelaide Thunderbirds, were the better team in the first half but could not go on with the job.
Renowned for their comebacks, Vixens rose to another level during the second half, the Mystics eventually buckling under the pressure.
Vixens opted for Howarth and Caldwell as their shooting combination while the Mystics welcomed back influential defender Anna Harrison from injury. The willowy Harrison proved her value as she helped her team recover from a slow start to gain the upper hand through the first stanza.
The instinctive rapport between Mystics shooters Maria Tutaia and Cathrine Latu was evident, the pair showing great patience before finding their flow and polish under the hoop. At the other end, Harrison was at her menacing best, disrupting the Vixens shooters at every opportunity and giving Howarth a torrid time.
She even managed to execute the ``Harrison hoist’’ which famously emerged against the same team in round eight when Cullen expertly lifted Harrison on several occasions to cause havoc in the Vixens circle.
With more ball at their disposal and making good use of their turnover opportunities, Mystics went to the first break with a 15-11 lead.
There was a strong push from the home team on the resumption, momentum with the Vixens as they narrowed the deficit to two. Continuing her good form, midcourter Madison Browne led the charge with expert delivery to her shooters but they were unable to maintain the urgency.
Once again, the threat of Harrison and Kayla Cullen caused problems for the Vixens shooters as the intense and tight struggle showed no signs of abating. With captain Temepara George in the thick of the action and Tutaia playing a strong hand outside the circle, Mystics replied in emphatic fashion.
Showing her strength in the air, Latu, the competition’s most accurate shooter got the wood on Mentor to help the Mystics regain their five-goal buffer. Having two more attempts at goal than the Mystics, Vixens were let down by their lack of accuracy with a 75 percent success rate. In comparison, the Mystics were converting at 97 percent which propelled them to a 29-24 lead at the main break.
The Mystics moved to six ahead before the tables were turned in a storming third quarter from the home team. The switch of Browne and Chelsey Tregear to centre and wing attack respectively added more potency on attack which helped the ball movement to the shooters.
Finding more space in the circle, the Vixens shooters improved their strike rate in dramatic fashion with Howarth particularly prominent in the third stanza. Strong on the shot and rebound, the rangy shooter helped the home team level the scores as the teams went toe-to-toe for the remainder of the quarter.
The Mystics defenders became increasing frustrated, Cullen being stood down for a goal for back-chatting the umpire while at the other end Mentor and Bianca Chatfield came into their own as they put the squeeze on the Mystics shooters.
With the scores locked at 40-all at the last break, momentum had definitely swung the Vixens way.
Five personnel and positional changes for the Mystics for the run home did not have the desired result, the Vixens well in the groove as they maintained their intensity while the visitors dropped off the pace.
