Mystics send Fitzpatrick out with 18goal win
AUCKLAND: The Northern Mystics have farewelled captain Sulu Fitzpatrick with a crushing victory over the Northern Stars in the ANZ Premiership final.
Fitzpatrick is set to retire after this season and the 30yearold will walk away following a dream campaign, guiding her side to the minor premiership before enjoying an equally dominant performance in yesterday’s decider.
The 27test defender still hopes to be selected in the Silver Ferns’ World Cup squad, announced by Dame Noeline Taurua on Wednesday, and did her prospects no harm in Hamilton.
Fitzpatrick led the Mystics to their second ANZ Premiership title in three seasons, having made her debut as a teenager in 2010. With tears in her eyes and applause filling the arena, she paid tribute to her teammates — even if they did occasionally test her nerves.
‘‘I’m going to miss them,’’ Fitzpatrick told Sky Sport.
‘‘We probably argue a lot — our team is full of emotion but also a lot of love. We’re able to just be ourselves and embrace each other’s good, bad and ugly.
‘‘I love these girls and I know they’re going to be better without me. They’re going to be better next year and I’m so glad to go out on a high.’’
Fitzpatrick exchanged warm embraces with each of her opponents, and Stars captain Maia Wilson credited their neighbours for a comprehensive victory.
‘‘That’s a blimmin’ hiding,’’ she said. ‘‘They thoroughly deserved that win. They were very tenacious — you can see the emotion and what it means for them and Sulu in particular.’’
The Stars remain without an ANZ Premiership title and yesterday’s defeat was their third in grand finals, having last year edged the Mystics in the elimination final before suffering a record 19goal loss to the Central Pulse.
‘‘It’s a similar scoreline to last year but it doesn’t feel anywhere near as hard,’’ Wilson said. ‘‘I guess that shows a bit of improvement but we have to just be better, and unfortunately we weren’t today.’’
The Stars booked their ticket for the showpiece by edging a thriller over the Pulse in Porirua last weekend. But yesterday they had no answer for Silver Ferns goal shoot Grace Nweke, who equalled her careerhigh in an ANZ Premiership game, making 70 of her 73 attempts.
The prolific Mystics attack came as little surprise after they and Nweke had led the scoring charts this season. Mystics coach Tia Winikerei thrived in her first campaign since succeeding Helene Wilson.
But the margin of victory was less expected considering all three meetings between the sides this year — two won by the Mystics — had been decided by five or fewer goals.
Today was the first time the Auckland rivals had met in an ANZ Premiership decider and initially the game appeared set to match the occasion.
The Mystics made a faster start, capitalising on turnovers and jumping out to a sixgoal lead, prompting their opposition to make an early adjustment to their defence. But the Stars — second in scoring during the round robin — mounted a strong reply and closed to 2117 at the first break.
That marked the highestscoring first quarter in an ANZ Premiership final, and the connection between Nweke and wing attack Peta Toeava proved particularly effective as their side hastened the pace.
A fivegoal run increased the Mystics’ lead to seven in the second quarter and, as the Stars went almost three minutes without scoring, the margin reached nine goals by halftime.
The Stars put together their best run early in the third, to trim the deficit to five, but that was as close as they came. The Mystics soon extended their advantage to double digits, turning the fourth quarter into a procession — and a celebration for Fitzpatrick. —