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BRUCE LIM / PHOTOSPORT [19659005O'Connellscored53goalsineliminatingtheMagic
but Southern Steel had more.
A successful match was played by the Southerners at the Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on Monday night. beat the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 76-60
Both teams were on target with their shot – Magic made 95% of their attempts, steel 94% – but steel finally prevailed. [19659007] They finished with 18 more attempts than their rivals, and were led by Jen O'Neill Connell, who finished with 53 goals, missing only twice. At the other end of the field, Lenize Potgieter was perfect, but her 41 goals were not enough
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The Magic were without Casey Kopua, who suffered an injury on the right foot last week, while she was warming up before her team match against the Northern Stars. Without it, they continued to lose this match, and they could not do it without their leader here.
Kopua could not explain the nature of his injury in a pre-match interview, but was suitably moody, and did not look confident to return at any point this season. With defensive partner Kelly Jury suffering a shoulder injury in the second round, the loss of Kopua – should it be confirmed – would be a blow to the hopes of the Magic final.
The Steel was able to open a fast forward, but once With a frontal area of Ariana Cable-Dixon at the wings attack, Monica Falkner at goal, and the South African international Potgieter in goal shooting, they can be as explosive as any ANZ Premiership team, and certainly has the potential to win a shootout.
They paved the way for early defensive magic, with Falkner in particular being a parasite, and crowned it all with a perfect shooting display in the opening quarter. The problem was, the steel had missed only once themselves, so took a 19-18 lead in the first break.
With the goal of pulling O Connell a rock under the post, and Te Paea Selby-Rickit goal attack showing his versatility, the steel began to take in advance in the second quarter. They rose six with a little more than a minute before the break, before the Magic rallied at the end of the period to shoot at less than three.
The Magic missed a second, while Steel did not.
After the break, the steel started stronger, and again built its lead, only to see the Magic fight once again. The Southerners saw more ball, but slowly, but surely, they made this count, taking a lead of seven goals in the last quarter, up 58-51.
In the last quarter, the advantage of steel quickly doubled. With the win, the Steel have all but secured a place in the final, as they are now six points of fourth-place magic, and seven of the Northern Stars and Northern Mystics
For a team that has lost its defender off pair – Jane Watson, last season's MVP – and her outstanding player – Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Reid – after winning the title last season. The Magic remain in the race for third place, despite the defeat, and with the Mystics – twice – the Stars, and the Tactix coming in their last matches – they can not be left out even though they do not have Kopua on hand.
Series 10 ends on Wednesday In Christchurch, where the third-ranked Tactix Mainland hosts Central Pulse in the lead, knowing that an unlikely win would greatly increase his chances.
Southern Steel 76 (Jen O. Connell 53/55, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 23/26) Waikato-Bay of the Enchantment of Magic 60 (Lenize Potgieter 41/41, Monica Falkner 19/22).
Q1: 19-18; Q2: 39-36; Q3 : 58-51
Points (games played): Pulse 18 (10), Steel 18 (12), Tactix 14 (11), Magic 12 (11), Stars 11 (11), Mystics 11 (11)
– Stuff
