Magic touch returns as Stars sink to foot of netball premiership

The Magic have claimed their first win of this year’s ANZ Premiership season against the Northern Stars last night.

The Waikato Bay of Plenty club had lost their first three matches, for the first time.

But after what Magic captain Casey Kopua described as an embarrassing start to the season, they responded to the call to step up and claim a much-needed victory at Pulman

Arena in Takanini.

With a promising front line featuring Silver Fern Samantha Sinclair and South African import Lenize Potgieter, who has shot the highest average goals per game of the season so far, the Magic made sure their determined presence was felt.

They were still without Silver Ferns defender Kelly Jury, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in round two, but young up-and-coming defender Kate Lloyd was keen to take her opportunity.

Defending alongside Kopua, the pair snatched every intercept they could from Stars midcourters Grace Kara and Holly Fowler, as the Stars struggled to successfully feed the ball to their shooters.

After trailing by six goals after the opening quarter, the Stars found their rhythm in the second half with faster play and fewer mistakes.

But Stars shooting duo Maia Wilson and Paula Griffin could not keep up with the always accurate Potgieter.

She maintained an outstanding 100 per cent shooting rate for the first two quarters, finishing the game with 42 from 46 attempts.

Stars shooter Ellen Halpenny replaced Wilson, as Griffin moved to

goal shoot, but the mid-quarter change didn't help as the Magic held their lead 30-25 at halftime.

As the Stars struggled to keep possession, the Magic continued to clock up the points.

They extended their promising lead in the final two quarters.

In a bid to peg back the deficit, Stars coach Kiri Wills opted for her opening combinations, bringing Wilson back to goal shoot and Ama Agbeze on defence.

But the return of the two internationals wasn't enough to keep the Stars in the match as the Magic went from strength to strength in a strong final-quarter performance.

The win means the Magic move off the bottom of the ladder to fifth, ahead of the Stars by a point.

The Tactix play the Northern Mystics tonight at Christchurch’s Horncastle Arena, having narrowly defeated the Stars last week 49-48 in their first home stadium win.