Heavy knock to goal shooter a blow for Steel as opposite number shines
Maia Wilson’s improved shooting lifted the Northern Stars to a scrappy 53-43 win over the Southern Steel and extended their lead on top of the ANZ Premiership last night.
Silver Ferns goal shooter Wilson corrected her recent struggles after a slow start and the Stars kicked off round 10 at Dunedin’s Edgar Centre with a vital result against the third-placed Steel in a tight contest, but for the final stages.
The Steel lost star goal shooter George Fisher to a suspected concussion in the third quarter and lost momentum as the visitors sprinted to victory in the fourth to improve their record to 8-2, while the hosts slumped to 6-4.
Fisher didn’t finish the match after a nasty fall in an awkward collision with impressive Stars goal defence Elle Temu. She walked off the court but looked groggy and left the arena in a wheelchair to applause.
Her opposite number, Wilson, scored 38 goals from 47 attempts and the Stars’ flurry of goals to start the fourth quarter was key to seeing off the Steel.
Initially, Wilson’s wobbles under the net allowed the hosts to build an early lead, but Fisher was being troubled by Silver Ferns great Anna Harrison, the Stars’ goalkeeper, in a lowscoring opening.
Harrison’s renowned reach was flustering Fisher, the
premiership’s sharpest shooter, as she missed five of 12 attempts in the first quarter, although Wilson was struggling more, shooting at 50 per cent.
Temu was disrupting the Steel’s attack, too, and the visitors went ahead for the first time in the second quarter once Wilson and goal attack Jamie
Hume increased their shooting rates.
The Stars threatened to pull clear but could not lift their lead higher than five goals up to halftime as Gina Crampton dominated the midcourt with Mila Reuelu-Buchanan.
The Steel’s defence were also on form as they stayed in the match and retook the lead in the third quarter, but both sides went blow for blow without landing a knockout goal surge.
There was then a delay as Fisher was assessed for a concussion, giving the players a breather, and the Stars benefited from it more with a strong finish.