With a place in the grand final to play for, an energised local crowd turned out to watch the Tactix put everything on the line for their do or die showdown against the Pulse winning 57-52, securing their chance to take on the Northern Mystics for the ANZ Premiership.
It was goal for goal through the first and third quarters, the home side tightening down on their passes and lost balls that plagued them against the Mystics and fighting back the four point lead the Pulse gained in the second quarter.
This is the second consecutive Elimination Final hosted in Christchurch with the Mystics defeating the Tactix last year 68-64 at the same venue, and the home side were prepared to change their fortune in 2025 remaining undefeated at home this season.
Tactix head coach Donna Wilkins had faith in her leading seven, picking the dynamic shooting duo of Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Ellie Bird to head the game for the side.
Selby-Rickit gave her all on the court, as she closes out her 15th season of elite netball. Selby-Rickit sank the first two-point goal of the game, right on the half time buzzer pushing the Tactix to within four points at the halfway mark and changing the tempo of the game.
A slight change of pace saw Karin Burger start in wing defence with Paris Lokotui in goal defence, while Jane Watson held goal keep. The defensive pact maintained steady pressure with Watson positioning herself ahead of the ball, hunting for wayward passes and managing to redirect the ball back down the court.
By halftime, Lokotui and Burger had returned to their home positions, with Wilkins keeping the Pulse guessing
The Pulse kept the pressure on, the Tactix taking the time to pass the ball down the court, feeding the ball into Bird, maintaining a winning composure that kept the Tactix on top of the game,
The Pulse held on defensively, with Pulse defender Jackson making it hard to feed the ball into Bird, the midcourt stepping up and changing the pace of game scoring five goals on the trot, bringing the Tactix to within two points, before leveling the score with four minutes to go.
Tactix captain Erikana Pedersen played her 100th match for the Tactix in the elimination final, bringing a fast tempo to the mid court, sitting in top spot for feeds and centre pass receives across both teams.
During her half-time Sky TV interview, Pedersen recognised that the Pulse game was ‘a grind’, but the team had prepared for that in training.
“We knew the game was going to be hard, and we need to be more true to the ball a little more… the intention is to bring on players to wear us down and we have to be smart about it,” she said.
The crowd was the eighth player on the court with the team, elevating the side to play every second with grit and determination and sealing the Tactix shot at the 2025 title next Sunday at Trust Arena, Auckland.
