Pulsating: Mainlanders get tactics right
After a stuttering start to the ANZ Premiership season, the Mainland Tactix have found a way to right the rickety ship.
The 2020 runners-up got off to the worst possible start in their new campaign, losing their first three games. Since then, however, it has been a different story, with the 55-52 win over the Central Pulse in Christchurch last night their fourth win in five games.
In a rematch of last year’s final, and the first meeting between the two teams in 2021, it was a dominant showing from the hosts.
The Tactix built a multi-goal lead in the opening two minutes, taking the first five attempts at goal and scoring three of them.
It was an ominous sign of things to come for the Pulse. However, they were able to find their way into the game midway through the opening quarter to draw level at 8-8. That was the closest they got for the rest of the game as the Tactix dominated the first half and closed out the match in the latter stages.
In the first half, the Tactix took 40 attempts at goal to 29 by the Pulse but led by only seven as the shooting pair of Ellie Bird and Te Paea SelbyRickit let the Pulse off the hook at times by not putting the ball in the hoop.
Facing a seven-goal deficit at the break meant the result wasn’t unsalvageable for the Pulse, given the Tactix had relinquished a similar lead in their loss to the Northern Stars last week.
The visitors came out strongly in the third quarter and closed the margin to three goals midway through the period. However, whenever they got close, the Tactix would again break away.
Ultimately, a better second-half effort from the Pulse fell short, with the Tactix holding on for the win.