Tactix pip Stars in nail-biter to stretch home record
Pushed to the limits, the VIP Frame & Trusses Tactix stretched their winning home record to nine straight matches after holding out a fast-finishing Stars Netball with a gripping 52-50 win in Christchurch on Sunday.
With both teams coming into the match with similar records and sitting on just the one loss, the expectations were high for this clash and it didn’t disappoint as the pair engaged in a thriller with neither taking a backward step and the outcome remaining in the balance until the final minute.
Down by three heading into the last quarter, the Stars stormed out of the blocks with defender Kate Burley prominent in picking off turnover opportunities to get her team back on level terms and then into the lead with 10 minutes to go.
After a couple of panicky moments, the Tactix settled, the defensive pairing of Ash Barnett and Laura Balmer providing the clutch moments in a frenetic finish to provide the much-needed extra possession while shooter Hanna Glen, in her first match, rock solid with a 34 from 38 return under the hoop.
For the home side, Glen slotted in at goal shoot in her first start of the season while Taiana Day once again got the nod at wing attack in place of captain Erikana Pedersen who remains sidelined with injury.
In a settled Stars line-up, recently elevated training partner Abbie Leger, promoted to the fulltime squad after Greer Sinclair was ruled out for the rest of the season, got the start at wing defence for the visitors.
Glen made the most confident of starts on the back of patience and ball security from her team to give the hosts the early edge. Contesting every play, with defender Balmer prominent, the Tactix forged a four-goal advantage before untimely lapses helped the Stars strike back.
Taking advantage of unforced errors and missed shots from their opponents, five goals on the trot propelled the Stars into a slim 12-11 lead at the first break.
In a blow for the Tactix soon after the resumption, rangy defender Barnett was forced off the court with an ankle injury after turning the ball over for the home side in a big play. Josie Seymour was injected from the bench to goal defence, the reshuffle and loss of a player doing nothing to dent the Tactix momentum and attitude.
Going goal-for-goal in an intense arm-wrestle where both shooters Glen and her opposite Amelia Walmsley were the main beneficiaries, the Stars, with midcourter Claire O’Brien getting good ball into her shooters helped the visitors nudge into a two-goal lead.
That proved short-lived with the Tactix roaring back, big defensive efforts both ways and mounting tension seeing the lead change hands a couple of times.
An Amorangi Malesala two-pointer late in the piece sealed a cracking half of netball as the Tactix had the slimmest of advantages during the quarter to head into the main break with a narrow 28-27 lead.
Samon Nathan was introduced at wing defence at the start of the third quarter, neither side blinking as each looked to wrest the initiative in an increasingly hotly-contested stand-off.
The smart play of Malesala, through her positional play and excellent feeding into Glen, helped the home side turn the momentum. Glen continued to impress with her ability to gather under pressure and slot the shot.
An intercept to the ever-alert Balmer helped the Tactix nudge slightly further ahead when taking a three-goal lead which was a significant margin in the context of the game.
A goal-for-goal finish kept the Tactix with their noses in front when leading 43-40 at the last break, while leaving the outcome far from over.