The Southern Steel have cemented second place in the ANZ Netball Premiership after beating the Tactix 59-56 in Invercargil.
Jennifer O'Connell. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The result means legendary retiring captain Wendy Frew gets to play one more game on her home court.
With a minute left on the clock, the passionate Steel crowd stood and applauded another gutsy, ground-out victory from their team, which cemented the Southlanders in second place as the Finals Series draws closer.
But plaudits had to also go to the Tactix, as they took the game to the Steel and were the more pulsating, self-assured team for much of the first half, setting a breath-taking tempo that caught the home side on the hop. The Tactix never stopped challenging the lead, even in the dying minutes of an exhausting encounter.
With the two tallest shooters in the league at opposing ends of the court, both teams were willing to fire the ball into the circle from the get-go. The initial passes weren't always on point, and the defenders quickly read the play.
But the Tactix got the early jump, with Jane Watson and Temalisi Fakahokotau sharing five intercepts between them in the first quarter alone, and Brooke Leaver putting some confident, fluid passes in to Ellie Bird's reliable hands under the hoop.
As the Steel gathered momentum, and their shooters were more accurate than their rivals, they pushed out to a three-goal advantage, and held it at halftime, 30-27.
The homeside was ahead 45-43 at threequarter time.
The Tactix remain third on the table, 3 points ahead of the Magic, with just the top 3 making the play-offs.
Shooting Stats - Steel:
Jen O'Connell 40/49 (82%)
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 19/23 (83%)
Shooting Stats - Tactix:
Ellie Bird 40/51 (78%)
Brooke Leaver 16/22 (73%)
