Magic rolled by impressive Thunderbirds
Over-run 45-33 by a rampant Adelaide Thunderbirds highlights plenty of soul-searching ahead for Kia Magic who slumped to their second successive defeat in Adelaide on Monday.
There was also the worrying sign for Kia Magic of shooting great Irene van Dyk seeing out the match from the bench. A forgettable third quarter during which van Dyk was kept scoreless meant a shooting reshuffle in a desperate late bid to regain some momentum.
But after a sizzling start, the visitors could not reproduce their early form, eventually being subdued by a masterly second half from Thunderbirds which reduced the visitors to a below par 68 percent shooting return.
The result rocketed Thunderbirds into top spot on the table while Kia Magic retained a tenuous hold on fourth spot courtesy of goal percentage.
Jess Waitapu got the nod to start for Kia Magic at goal attack while import Khao Watts donned the wing attack’s bib in front of her home crowd. There were no surprises in the well-performed Thunderbirds line-up of recent weeks, captain Natalie von Bertouch welcomed back after missing the previous week with injury.
With four Silver Ferns in Kia Magic’s team and five Diamonds and a Jamaican international in the opposition, the match lived up to the spread of talent on show with its sheer intent and willingness from start to end.
The visitors got off to a flyer, the speed and accuracy on transition matched by a smothering defensive wall. With captain Laura Langman ruling through the midcourt and van Dyk at her clinical best under the hoop, Kia Magic reeled off eight unanswered goals to power out to an early 9-2 lead.
Stunned by Kia Magic’s intensity, Thunderbirds struggled at both ends with their transition before working their way back and pegging back the deficit.
Jamaican import Carla Borrego found her range under the hoop, the 1.93m shooter keeping her team in the hunt as the home team made a great recovery to ensure Kia Magic’s lead was trimmed to a narrow 13-12 at the first break.
It was Thunderbirds who reversed the trend on the resumption, upping their intensity and defensive exploits. Midcourters Renae Hallinan and captain Natalie von Bertouch did a sterling job of slowing Kia Magic’s drive on attack and keeping the dangerous Langman under wraps.
Goal attack Erin Bell found her confidence in Thunderbirds goal circle, proving a great ally for Borrego, who continue to produce a compelling performance. Play turned scrappy as a real arm wrestle ensued before the home team nudged ahead as their defensive pressure began to tell.
In a rare occurrence, van Dyk got the wobbles, uncharacteristically missing three goals during the stanza as Thunderbirds eased into a 22-20 halftime lead.
Ellen Halpenny made her entrance for the second half in place of Waitapu but Kia Magic’s woes continued in a disastrous third quarter after both teams made frantic starts. With the ball swinging wildly back and forth, it was Thunderbirds who grabbed control, scoring five in a row to break clear.
Thunderbirds in-circle defenders Sharni Layton and Rebecca Bulley produced a brilliant display of tight and suffocating marking to shut a rattled van Dyk out of the game as the visitor’s key weapon was kept scoreless for the quarter. The home team effectively dismantled Kia Magic’s game while delivering an efficient and effective product on attack.
Borrego and Bell could do little wrong under the Thunderbirds hoop, potting most opportunities that came their way as they out-pointed Kia Magic 13 goals to six for a decisive 35-26 lead at the last break and forcing their opponents to make dramatic changes for the run home.
