Stars outclass Tactix
The Northern Stars picked up a second win in the ANZ Premiership, easily accounting for the Mainland Tactix at Pulman Arena in Auckland last night.
With goal shoot Maia Wilson slotting 51 of her 55 attempts, they won by a team record 19 goals, 65-46, staying in third place but moving level on points with the Central Pulse, one behind the ladder-leading Southern Steel.
With a comfortable win under their belts to go with their opening round upset of the Steel, the Stars have shown they won’t be the easybeats they have been previously, and a playoff spot will be in their sights.
They made a bright start to the game, with wing defence Kayla Cullen showing some impressive passing range, finding goal shoot Wilson on several occasions to help them take an early lead.
Midway through the period the Tactix had levelled the scores 10-10, but the Stars went on a tear to finish the quarter, Wilson and Ellen Halpenny combining to net five straight, and at the first break the Stars were up 16-11.
Wilson netted three in a row to begin the second quarter and extend the Stars’ lead to a healthy eight goals.
Leana de Bruin was having a strong game at goal defence for the Stars, as was wing attack Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, who was responsible for much of the good ball Wilson was receiving.
Another sequence of back-to-back goals put the Stars up by 10 five minutes before halftime and Tactix coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek went to her bench, introducing Salmon Nathan at wing attack and shifting Brooke Leaver to goal attack in place of Kate Beveridge, who had received a caution earlier in the period.
The margin was back to nine goals at halftime, but the Tactix couldn’t make any further inroads after the break.
In the fourth quarter, the Stars quickly grew their lead to 12 and never looked back.
The Tactix don’t have long to lick their wounds, with the Pulse next up in Palmerston North on Sunday, while the Stars have a week to prepare for their Auckland derby against the Northern Mystics, which they get to host at Pulman Arena.
For the middle game in round three, on Monday, the Steel host the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic .