Mystics celebrate Toeava milestone in style
In a crunch match for the home side, GoSweetSpot Northern Mystics got their campaign back on track when subduing the unbeaten VIP Frame & Trusses Mainland Tactix 52-43 in Auckland on Saturday.
Delivering the perfect outcome for midcourt stalwart Peta Toeava, lining up in her 150th national league match, the Mystics clicked up a gear in a dominant second half to seal the deal.
Following in the footsteps of her team-mates, Phoenix Karaka and Maia Wilson, who reached the 150 milestone earlier this season, Toeava’s had special significance, reaching the illustrious mark by playing all her games with the one club.
Trailing by one at halftime in an even contest to that point, the Mystics hit their straps with a forceful third quarter to take the sting out the Tactix challenge. Pushing out to a six-goal lead heading into the last quarter, the home side kept their foot on the pedal, the Tactix unable to repair the damage in a more competitive final 15 minutes while also missing out on a bonus point.
Rising young shooter Sophia Lafaiali’I with a 36 from 40 return, crack defender Catherine Hall and skipper Michaela Sokolich-Beatson were at the heart of the Mystics resurgent form.
Long-serving Mystics midcourter Tayla Earle got her first start of the campaign after returning from injury to line up at centre while the rangy Charlotte Manley also got her first stating opportunity, at goal defence.
For the visitors, Taiana Day took over the wing attack bib in place of captain Erikana Pedersen, who was ruled out after suffering a shoulder injury last week.
The Mystics kept everyone guessing by making multiple changes through the first stanza, including Katie Te Ao, for Earle, Lafaiali’i, for Wilson, and Karaka, for Manley, but could not completely shake a dogged Tactix challenge.
The home side provided a strong defensive wall which required plenty of patience from the new-look Tactix attack line, which at times showed their lack of fluency and time together but the visitors came back several times to leave the scores all level at 12-apiece at the first break.
The back-and-forth nature of the contest continued during the second stanza with neither side able to grab the initiative.
The Mystics continued to roll the changes while the Tactix maintained their starting seven, both sides pulling off some big defensive plays where Hall and Sokolich-Beatson were strong contributors. For the Tactix, Fa’amu Muliaga (nee Ioane) and Laura Balmer ensured the red-and-blacks got their hands on plenty of opportunities.
The Tactix had to work hard at times to thread the ball through but patience paid off through a tightly-contested 15 minutes. An Amorangi Malesala two-pointer helped the Tactix nudge in front but both goal shoots, Lafaiali’i, for the homes side and her opposite Charlie Bell, did a fine job with their positioning and accuracy to keep the one-pointers ticking over.
The match was left on tenterhooks once again, when the Tactix, enjoying one more shot at goal, holding a tenuous 25-24 lead at the main break.
Things unfolded rapidly for the Tactix in a rampant third quarter from the Mystics. Increased defensive pressure, where Hall was a standout, bustled the visitors into a rash of errors and a scoring spree for the home side.
Getting away to a flying 8-1 start handed all the momentum the Mystics way, finding their full flow on attack and an easy passage to goal as the Tactix defensive pressure wilted. Dominant at both ends and with Toeava running the middle, the Mystics kept their opposites to just seven goals during the third spell.
Chipping in some late one-pointers and still in the frame, the Tactix were left steering down a 38-32 deficit at the last turn.