Northern Mystics end Central Pulse's unbeaten run with big Bailey Mes goal late
With the scores level, Mystics shooter Bailey Mes fired in a remarkable goal to end the Pulse's winning run.
The Northern Mystics have breathed life into the national netball premiership, toppling the previously undefeated Central Pulse in round six, thanks to a clutch goal by Bailey Mes in the final seconds.
The Silver Ferns shooter sank the winner as she tumbled out of bounds after grabbing the rebound when Maria Folau's attempt was off.
As a result, the Mystics won 52-51 on Sunday, a week after going down 60-38 to the same opponents in round five.
In the day's other two matches, the Southern Steel beat the Northern Stars by three, 63-60, a week after beating them by two, and the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic beat the Tactix by one, 48-47, four days after beating them by seven, 55-48.
Those results meant nothing changed on the ladder, where the Pulse remain out in front, with the Steel and the Tactix the others in the top three, though the Mystics are in fourth only on goal percentage.
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The Tactix host the Steel on Monday night, so will have a chance to close the gap between the two teams, though if they lose at home for the fourth straight game, they will instead find themselves five points back. A loss would also allow the Magic, who host the winless Stars on Wednesday in Tauranga, to pass them - and the Mystics - with a win.
It was the final offering between the Mystics and the Pulse that was the most exciting of the day at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch, the venue for the second Super Sunday triple-header of the season.
The Mystics had Silver Ferns shooter Folau in their ranks, which they didn't last week, and they gave the Pulse a contest like no-one else has so far this season, forcing rare mistakes from them in the shooting circle, and capitalising to turn a three-goal deficit at halftime into a four-goal lead by the end of the third quarter.
Mystics captain Anna Harrison was a menace defensively, but the Pulse hung in there, and rallied to bring the scores level late, and were just seconds away from forcing extra time when Mes came up trumps.
Ariana Cable-Dixon and the Magic have won three in a row.
The Steel and the Stars earlier produced a mirror image of their previous meeting, combining for 123 goals, one fewer than they managed in Invercargill a week ago. The two teams have the least-heralded defences in the competition, which makes their matchup one that comes down to who performs best in getting into their attacking flow.
In both matches in the past week, it was the Steel who triumphed, but it may have come at a cost, as their defender Courtney Elliott was helped from the court in the second quarter after suffering an ankle injury. Elliott has impressed since joining the Steel as a late replacement for Jamaican defender Malysha Kelly, and if she is absent for any length of time, their depth will be tested.
The Stars' loss was their sixth in a row, but they picked up their fourth bonus point for going down by five or less.
The second game of the day was another mirror image. On Wednesday, the Magic took an early lead against the Tactix, then held on for the win, staying strong after their opponents made a late rally, and it was the same on Sunday. They are flying high at the moment with Kate Lloyd doing a solid job replacing Kelly Jury at goal keep, and will hope their good run continues.
The Tactix made just 68 per cent of their attempts in the first match, and somehow were worse in the second, making just 67 per cent. Their defence, led by captain Jane Watson, is keeping them alive in contests, and if they can get it going in the shooting circle, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Players compete for the ball in the Steel's win over the Stars.
ANZ Premiership, round six
Northern Mystics 52 (Bailey Mes 23/26, Jamie Hume 7/9, Maria Folau 22/25) Central Pulse 51 (Aliyah Dunn 35/39, Tiana Metuarau 10/11, Ameliaranne Ekenasio 6/10).
Q1: 12-12; HT: 23-26; Q3: 40-36
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 48 (Lenize Potgieter 34/41, Monica Falkner 12/12, Amorangi Malesala 2/3) Mainland Tactix 47 (Ellie Bird 32/47, Kate Beveridge 5/7, Brooke Leaver 10/16).
Q1: 13-10; HT: 28-22; Q3: 38-36
Southern Steel 63 (Jennifer O'Connell 37/44, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 26/29) Northern Stars 60 (Maia Wilson 38/46, Paula Griffin 12/14, Ellen Halpenny 10/13).
Q1: 18-18, HT: 33-30; Q3: 50-45
Points (games played): Pulse 12 (7), Steel 10 (7), Tactix 8 (7), Mystics 8 (7), Magic 7 (6), Stars 4 (6).
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