Pulse climb the ladder with victory over Tactix
With teen shooting sensation Tiana Metuarau on-song, Te Wananga o Raukawa Pulse have put on a compelling show to defeat the Silvermoon Tactix, 52-38, at Horncastle Arena.
The 16-year-old Metuarau once again played with a composure and maturity beyond her years, shooting 25 from 28 attempts, and proficiently supporting her experienced shooting partner Cat Tuivaiti, who missed just one of her 27 shots on goal.
Although the Tactix could not match the intensity they displayed against the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel last week, there was one great revelation for the Mainlanders. Goal shoot Ellie Bird, in only her third ANZ Premiership appearance and her first full 60 minutes at this elite level of competition, shot 30 from 36 to give the Tactix a lot of heart for future encounters.
The home side also took out the final quarter, 12-8, but by then the Pulse had already stamped their control on the match.
Right from the opening whistle, the Pulse showed no hesitancy, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. But the Tactix soon found a rhythm, with Anna Thompson at wing attack having great vision into her shooters. At the opposite end, the Tactix defence –Temalisi Fakahokotau, Hayley Saunders and Zoe Walker taking turns to interrupt the Pulse attack.
Although the game dissolved into periods of chaos, with big misdirected bombs from either end, the Pulse managed to stay on top 12-8 at the first break.
The second quarter, though, was all the Pulse. As has become their style, Phoenix Karaka and Katrina Grant swapped defender bibs to keep the Tactix shooters guessing.But wing defence Claire Kersten (the match MVP) kept Thompson under wraps, helping to break down the Tactix flow before it even reached the circle.
A spectacular intercept on the fly by Grant was symbolic of the quarter. The Tactix appeared too timid to let the ball go, allowing the Pulse to make steal after steal. With Metuarau dominating the shooting and Tuivaiti not missing a beat, they pushed the difference between the sides into double figures; the Pulse leading 30-18 at halftime.
By the end of the third quarter, the Tactix had tried all four of their shooters in an attempt to get around the yellow wall, but with the gap 44-26 going into the final spell, it seemed there was little they could do to turn around their fortunes.
To the Tactix credit, they refused to give up the fight, and their minor victory in the final quarter with Bird and Thompson in the shooting circle, was well-deserved.