Official Result: Central Pulse draw with SKYCITY Mystics

Media Release
Monday 18 April, 2016

Official Result & Statistics

Official Result: Central Pulse (52) drew with SKYCITY Mystics (52)

• Mystics continue to be cursed by second half lapse
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• Seven consecutive goals bring Pulse back into the game
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• Tuivaiti returns to her best shooting 29 from 30
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A plucky fightback by the Central Pulse has denied the SKYCITY Mystics their first win of the 2016 ANZ Championship, with their see-saw battle finally ending in 52-all draw in Wellington tonight.

As they have done in all three of their games this season, the Mystics squandered a handsome lead and couldn’t drive it home in the second half. In fact, a penalty goal by Maria Tutaia with no time left on the clock was all that saved them from a third straight defeat.

Goal shoot Cathrine Tuivaiti, in sterling form with 29 goals from 30 attempts, said her side was suffering from a lack of mental fitness: “When push comes to shove, we don’t know what to do.”

While both teams were guilty of falling off the pace at times, the Pulse proved they have the knack of battling back – recovering from a nine-goal deficit in the second quarter, and pegging back four in the final minutes to almost snatch victory.

The pendulum of domination swung from side to side throughout the game. Neither team found a rhythm for the first 10 minutes; attacking play breaking down at the transverse line as both defensive units bore down. The Pulse were caught too often lobbing over-ambitious passes into their circle, while the Mystics couldn’t find a path through to Tuivaiti.

It wasn’t until the end of the quarter that the Mystics stole a march, as they finally looked clearly down court to Tuivaiti, who put her magical hands and feet to best use.

Leading 14-10 at the first break, the Mystics pulled further away to nine; Serena Guthrie – recovered from an Achilles injury – disrupting driving play through court to Tutaia and Tuivaiti.

But a massive shift in momentum came as the Pulse scored a whopping seven goals in a row, to draw level at 22-22. Midcourters Chelsea Locke and Elias Scheres controlled the pace through court, and expertly set up young shooter Maia Wilson, who stood firm against the formidable Mystics defence of Anna Harrison and Temalisi Fakahokotau.

The Mystics held the narrowest of leads, 27-26, at halftime, and while both teams settled in the third spell, neither established a real hold on the match. At 40-37 ahead, the Mystics brought Holly Fowler on at goal defence to give their defence new impetus in the final quarter.

The game almost came to a standstill in the dying minutes, as both sides struggled to make headway through the defensive walls.

With the Pulse just one goal in arrears, they contested every pass until goal defence Katrina Grant made the breakthrough with an intercept under the post, converted by Wilson, to finally take the lead. But the Mystics salvaged a draw, as Tutaia calmly slotted a penalty in the final second.

END

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