Storming finish gets Kia Magic home against Pulse
Kia Magic were forced to dig deep before repelling a spirited Central Pulse 53-49 in Hamilton on Monday.
The home team showed plenty of character to come from behind with a forceful second half to gain their revenge against Pulse who prevailed in the first showdown by a solitary goal two weeks ago.
In an important game for both teams, the win cemented fourth spot on the table for Kia Magic, patience paying off after a patchy first half during which plenty of opportunities were squandered.
Kia Magic presented with a new-look attack line, Jess Tuki starting at wing attack after six weeks out with an elbow injury while Ellen Halpenny got the nod at goal attack. For Pulse, Joline Henry made her first start of the season at wing defence after taking time to come back from the birth of her baby and injury.
Kia Magic had several opportunities in the opening exchanges but were unable to convert their turnover ball. The visitors were more efficient on attack with experienced shooters Donna Wilkins and Caitlin Thwaites providing the accuracy under the hoop.
Errant passes cost Kia Magic valuable possession, helping Pulse finish the stanza strongly as they hit the first break with a 15-11 advantage.
Impressive defensive pressure from Pulse caused Kia Magic more problems on the resumption as the home team struggled with their distribution in the attacking third. The pace picked up considerably with both teams exhibiting some thrilling individual skills as the contest heated up. With Irene van Dyk well contained under the hoop, Halpenny stepped up with a much more forceful second stanza to shoulder the bulk of the shooting duties.
Kia Magic pegged the deficit back to two as defenders Casey Kopua and Leana de Bruin got their hands on more turnover ball but a controlled Pulse continued to hold them at bay. Intelligent feeding from Liana Leota and Camilla Lees gave Wilkins and Thwaites every opportunity to build at 29-24 lead at the main break.
Kia Magic made two replacements for the second half with the experienced Jodi Tod-Elliott taking over from Elias Shadrock at wing defence and import Khao Watts picking up the wing attack bib from Tuki. For the Pulse, Victoria Smith replaced Henry.
Initially, it was Pulse who prospered as they bolted out to a seven goal lead, the home team finally making their move in the latter stages of the stanza with a thrilling fight-back which broke the game open. Workhorse captain Laura Langman was in the thick of action, her connections with van Dyk on attack being pivotal while also helping shore up a stiffer defensive resolve.
As the pressure mounted, errors crept into Pulse’s game helping Kia Magic eat into the deficit to give the home team a launching pad. While Pulse became a little static on attack, it was a different story for Kia Magic who got sharper as the game wore on with their movement and accuracy. Van Dyk became a lot more involved while Halpenny continued to feature strongly as Pulse held on to a tenuous 39-38 lead at the last break.
The outcome hung in the balance through a tense and action-packed run to the line, Kia Magic’s confidence growing as they came home with a rush. A turnover from Tod-Elliott propelled Kia Magic into the lead for the first time with 5-1/2 minutes remaining, Pulse folding under the pressure as the home team finished in style by scoring the last five goals.
