Netball: Brown leads Steel to win over Mystics

Jodi Brown.
Jodi Brown.
The Steel fans have been expecting all season finally emerged last night with a dominant 73-61 win against the Mystics in Auckland.

It was bittersweet to watch the Steel dismantle a quality side which features an all-star core of Laura Langman, Maria Tutaia, Cathrine Latu, Julie Corletto and Anna Harrison.

It eased away in the second and third quarters and, with such a healthy buffer, coach Janine Southby was able to get some of her younger players on for the final three minutes.

While it was a game to cherish, had the Steel produced better form earlier in the tournament, a place in the playoffs would surely have been within reach.

The key to the 12-goal win was the contribution of Steel captain Jodi Brown at goal attack.

''I think I needed to step up and take a little responsibility for my position,'' Brown told Sky Sport.

''I guess the challenge is now, can I do it again next week?''

Brown landed 25 of her 30 attempts and took much pressure off shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, who scored 47 from 52. When the pair perform in tandem, the Steel is a formidable unit. For the Mystics, the loss means the playoffs are now out of reach.

The home side started well enough. Harrison created early opportunities, snatching a couple of intercepts, and used her elevation to cause anxious moments for the Steel feeders.

Perhaps that was weighing on Brown's mind when she made a bounce pass in the dying moments of the quarter. Goal keep Jessica Tuki swooped on the ball, but her side could not convert and the teams went to the break at 16-16.

Brown was having a big impact in the shooting circle, though, and a five-goal run early in the quarter saw the Steel lead 22-18.

The Mystics returned the favour thanks to a brace of intercepts from Tuki. The Steel nursed a three-goal halftime-lead which disappeared in a flash.

Wendy Frew made an early error and the Mystics seized the initiative with a six-goal run. But the combative wing defence made amends, poaching a Langman pass as her side responded.

She also nabbed another intercept as the Steel extended its lead to 54-47 with 15 minutes remaining.

Temalisi Fakahokotau replaced Tuki for the final period as the Mystics searched for a way to shut down Brown and Fowler-Reid.

The Thunderbirds bounced back from a five-game losing-streak to beat the Fever 57-50 in Adelaide on Saturday.

The Swifts surprised the Vixens with a 54-50 win in Melbourne yesterday. That result has paved the way for the Magic to overtake the Vixens at the top of the table if the Hamilton-based team beats the Pulse in Porirua tonight.

And the Firebirds cruised to a 69-52 won over struggling Tactix on the Gold Coast yesterday.


ANZ Championship
The scores

Steel 73
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 46 from 51, Jodi Brown 25/30, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 2/3

Mystics 61
Cathrine Latu 34/34, Maria Tutaia 23/29, Bailey Mess 4/4

Quarter scores: 16-16, 34-31, 54-47


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