After leading by 1 point at 3/4 time, the Steel had a costly start to the fourth to lose 52-45 to the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in Hamilton tonight.
The Magic finished strong and controlled the pace to go up by five early.
Bailey Mes came out to goal attack and was strong defensively, as was Georgie Edgecombe in the middle.
The home side scored 16 goals to the Steel’s eight, a disappointing end to a game that the Steel looked in with a chance of winning.
Saviour Tui was instrumental for the Steel, shooting 34 goals and was calm on her shot under a lot of pressure.
She found the body of her defenders, created space for herself and was powerful on her take.
Kate Heffernan was outstanding, directing the attack line and picking up ball at crucial moments.
The Steel’s timing was better through court, and players backed each other up, but that went missing in the final quarter.
It was a much-better start for the visitors.
Kate Heffernan picked up a circle edge tip and a stepping call against Ameliaranne Ekenasio allowed the Steel to go up 4-0.
The Magic eventually clicked in to gear, went four in a row as well, and added a couple more, to get in front.
Claire Kersten had a strong drive to the pocket, Mes rolled in to the back space and took a lovely ball to lead 13-10 at the break.
The Steel had the opportunity to close the gap to two, but a lack of awareness of seconds remaining on the clock cost the visitors.
Ekenasio looked like she had all the time in the world with the ball and was the playmaker in the Magic attack line.
But Kate Burley came in the game more and her combination with captain Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit shut down the Magic’s shooter-to-shooter offloads.
Selby-Rickit was not flashy, but shut down the space off the ball, and gave Burley the room to pick up deflections.
It was those deflections, and a Renee Savai’inaea - playing her 50th game - intercept, helped level the scores.
The Magic went on a mini-run again to take the lead, but the Steel used its ball speed and found its rhythm to be 25-25 at halftime.
It was a tight third quarter, with the Magic’s experience in Kersten, Mes, Ekenasio and Erena Mikaere steadying their side.
The score fluctuated back and forward, with the Steel fumbling the ball in attack at times when it needed to put scoreboard pressure on.
The Magic went up by two, but a Kate Heffernan intercept and Mes being called for obstruction under the post, levelled the scores again.
Tui slotted a much-needed goal under pressure in the dying seconds of the quarter to level it 37-37 all.
The Steel play the Magic again in two weeks. Selby-Rickit told Sky Sport she hoped her side could get avenge its loss.
