Vixens seal top four spot in round 7 of the ANZ Championships

The Melbourne Vixens got back to winning ways after holding out a gutsy Mercury Energy Tactix 65-50 in Melbourne today.  The win cemented the Vixens a spot in the ANZ Championship top four while the Tactix' losing streak now stretches back to the first round of last year. The Tactix competed gamely for much of the contest but were ultimately undone by their poor start and turnovers at crucial times.

 

Well positioned now on the points table, Vixens made the most of their opportunities with two of their veterans, Sharelle McMahon and Bianca Chatfield, leading the charge.  There were no surprises in either starting line-up although Anna Thompson got the nod at goal attack for the Tactix with the experienced Donna Wilkins being pushed back to goal shoot.

 

Stung by their loss to Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic last week and happy to be back at home, Vixens flexed their collective muscle from the outset. There was no one better than mercurial shooter McMahon, who was in dominant mode. Combining sweetly with Kate Beveridge, McMahon was almost unstoppable, directing traffic, setting up play, out-jumping the defenders for rebounds while also finding time to shoot a flawless first quarter.

 

At the other end of the court, defenders Geva Mentor and Chatfield overshadowed the Tactix shooters, who were starved of opportunities and not always on target when they did get the ball.

 

With the visitors' defenders being heavily penalised, it was all one-way traffic as Vixens converted their dominance into a 17-10 first quarter lead.  The floodgates threatened to open on the resumption as Vixens picked up where they left off. Unable to contain McMahon, the Tactix changed their defence line but initially they could still do nothing to disrupt the Vixens speed and flow through court as the home team stretched out to a 10-goal lead.

 

Picking up more ball defensively, Tactix dragged themselves back into the game with a heartening return leading up to halftime. Four unanswered goals paved the way for improved confidence as the ball was put into space and Thompson and Wilkins improved their accuracy under the hoop on the back of strong lead-up work from midcourters Maree Bowden and Phillipa Finch.

 

Vixens just shaded Tactix after an encouraging fightback from the visitors, the home team winning the quarter by a goal to take a 31-23 lead into the halftime break.  A host of midcourt changes by the Vixens, including the introduction of Julie Corletto as she is eased back into competition after an injury-ravaged 2010, did little to stall the home team. The game followed a similar pattern to the previous stanza as the heat was turned up in a physical and willing contest.

 

Vixens again shot out to a 10-goal advantage on the back of an increasingly influential role from Beveridge, who potted goals from all points of the circle, and the turnover expertise of Chatfield.  But the visitors could not be completely shaken, little-played defender Joanna Trip picking up crucial intercept ball and Wilkins and Thompson lifting their efforts under the hoop. However, it was Vixens who stole a mini march, heading into the last break with a 45-35 lead.  

 

It was all the Vixens in the run to the line, the home team asserting their overall dominance with a powerful finish.