Defending champions VIP Frames & Trusses Mainland Tactix put their marker in the ground to remain unbeaten after posting a gritty 53-48 win over Te Wānanga o Raukawa Central Pulse in Christchurch on Sunday.
In what was mostly a brutal and dogged contest, the Tactix extended their unbeaten home run to eight matches while remaining the only unbeaten team after two rounds of this year’s competition.
With the Tactix having a comfortable 10-goal lead heading into the last quarter, the Pulse delivered a strong response with shooters Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Ine-Marí Venter nailing three two-point shots to seal a crucial bonus point for finishing within five, but left their run too late and were outplayed in most facets on the day.
The Tactix did a better job of looking after their own possession while inflicting plenty of damage with their relentless efforts on defence and getting their hands on extra ball. They also returned higher shooting percentages against a Pulse side who struggled to find any fluidity or consistent accuracy.
The match between the two teams who experienced the most changes in the off-season – each retaining just three of their squads from last year – highlighted how much progress the Tactix, in particular, have made.
There was a strong Australian flavour across the contest with shooter Charlie Bell and defender Ash Barnett anchoring each end of the Tactix court while fellow Aussies Lili Gorman-Brown, getting her first opportunity of game-time after sitting out last week with a calf tweak, and Emma Thompson, linking in the engine room of the Pulse midcourt.
Both teams showed plenty of enterprise and the promise of further growing and building on their foundations. The opening quarter set the tone of what started as a closely-fought match-up before the Tactix went to work.
The Pulse got away to a flyer with a quick, slick passage to goal while shutting down the Tactix impetus on attack and forging the early lead.
The home side clawed their way back, patience and resilience helping them edge back into contention while forcing errors from the Pulse. Tactix goal attack Amorangi Malesala put the stamp on a terrific fightback with a last-gasp two-pointer to give the red-and-blacks a 16-15 lead at the first break.
The intensity grew on the resumption with the Tactix the main beneficiaries. The defensive pairing of Barnett and Laura Balmer caused all sorts of strife at the Pulse shooting end to spoil and deny the visitors on numerous occasions.
The play-making Malesala was a hugely influential figure for the home side, the Tactix going on a 7-1 run to take control of the second quarter while restricting the Pulse to just seven goals. Making all the running, the Tactix were well in control when leading 29-22 at the main break.
The Tactix machine continued with relentless intent during a dogged and physical third stanza. The Pulse had opportunities to close the gap but failed to cope with the on-going pressure as the Tactix maintained control of the arm-wrestle.
Malesala continued her cracking form at the attacking end, combining well with Bell to share the shooting load while Barnett and Balmer were dynamic in their ball-hunting ability and constant pressure to deny easy scoring opportunities for the Pulse.
With their noses front and in control, the Tactix left few doors open for the Pulse when increasing their lead to 44-34 at the last turn.
