Steel bounce back with compelling win over Stars
In a stunning form turnaround, the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel upset the well-performed Stars Netball side to cement a thrilling 69-60 win on their home court in Invercargill on Saturday.
Stung by a disappointing outing in Round 1, the Steel dug deep with a storming second quarter against the Stars to set up a rousing return to the winner’s circle.
Leading by eight heading down the home straight, the home side had to withstand a torrid examination by last week’s impressive-winning Stars team but holding their nerve and shored up by influential contributors in each third of the court, the Steel secured the points.
Under the Steel hoop, shooter Aliyah Dunn was a huge factor with a 54 from 56 return and impressing with her positioning, reliability and safe hands. At the other end, defender Carys Stythe was extremely effective in causing hesitation and disruption at the Stars shooting end. In the middle Kimiora Poi was the director through her efficiency in directing the attack line and scrambling on defence.
Starting and finishing strongly, the Stars were left to ponder how they unravelled so badly in a damaging second quarter showing which they lost by 14 goals.
In an entertaining opening quarter, both teams excelled on attack with plenty of free-flowing movement and accurate finishing where respective goal shoots, Dunn and the Stars’ Amelia Walmsley, were prominent figures.
With the Steel unable to make the most of their turnover opportunities, the Stars grabbed a slight edge in the possession stakes with the efficient midcourt pairing of Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and Claire O’Brien, featuring in her 50th ANZ Premiership match, getting plenty of well-placed ball to shooters Walmsley and Martina Salmon.
Proficient from two-point range, Salmon nailed a double to inch the Stars into a position of control when the visitors headed to the first break with a 19-15 lead.
That proved short-lived on the back of a storming response from the Steel on the resumption.
More clinical with their own possession and turnover opportunities, the Steel showed their intent by scoring the first four goals to level up the scores and forced a tactical timeout from the Stars with just two minutes gone.
Things didn’t improve for the Stars as staunch defensive pressure, where goalkeeper Stythe was a standout, continued to pay dividends for the home side. Growing in confidence, the Steel revelled in improved patience and timing on attack to dictate on the scoreboard.
The timing, positioning and accuracy of the unflappable Dunn, under the Steel hoop, was immense while her fellow shooter Georgia Heffernan was heavily involved with her play-making abilities and timely shooter-to-shooter connections.
A buzzer-beating two-pointer from Heffernan sealed a dominant 21-7 second quarter for the Steel and with it, a well-constructed 36-26 lead at the main break.
The Stars made a decisive move to repair some of the damage, inching their way back in a dramatic third stanza before Reuelu-Buchanan was forced to spend two minutes on the sidelines for unsafe play during the last five minutes.
That meant the Stars options were limited at a decisive time during the all-important super shot period. Having edged back to within four goals, the Stars lost their momentum when down to six players for two minutes, the Steel happy to tick over the one-point shots while maintaining a 52-44 lead at the last turn.