Steel unable to repeat against Pulse

NOT this time.

The Steel pipped the Pulse 5453 in the ANZ Premiership final earlier this month but was unable to stage a similar comeback in the Super Club semifinal in Nelson last night.

Trailing by nine with five minutes remaining, the Steel was just too far behind, even when you factor in the twopoint goals which are allowed in the tournament.

It scored the last six goals to clinch the Premiership title when the Pulse had led for the majority of the match.

But there was no repeat of those heroics.

The Pulse won 6455 in a tidy performance and will play the Mainland Tactix in tonight’s final.

The Steel will play New South Wales in the playoff for third.

The Steel started well, though.

It secured an early turnover and Gina Crampton threw a fabulous pass down court to shooter Jen O’Connell, who provided a nofuss finish.

The Steel inched further ahead but the Pulse closed the gap with a couple of twopoint goals and went into the break up 1413.

The Wellingtonbased side carried that momentum into the second period, adding a further eight points without conceding a goal.

Steel coach Reinga Bloxham made a change, replacing Olivia Bates with 18yearold Georgia Heffernan who nailed three consecutive twopoint goals to claw back some of the deficit.

The Pulse kept its sevengoal halftime margin intact until Bates drilled a couple of twopoint goals midway through the third period.

The mini run left it trailing 4843 with 15 minutes remaining to set up what could have been a tight finish.

In the earlier semifinal, the Tactix trailed most of the game but rallied in the final quarter to beat New South Wales 6462.

In the bottom four, Marama Vou beat Sneakers 8466 and the Sirens beat Gauteng Jaguars 4639.