Game Detail // ANZ Championship 2008

Round Name: Round 3 Starting Date: 19/4/2008

Team			v	Team		Location	Date/Time
	» Mystics	45	v.	» Fever	49	The Trusts Stadium Arena, Auckland	19/04/2008 2:30 PM

	SKY Sport Time:	14:30
	ONE Time:	12:30
	Umpire 1:	Mandy Nottingham
	Umpire 2:	David Pala'amo
	Reserve Umpire:	Bronwyn Meek

Game Report:

The West Coast Fever celebrated their first netball win in the ANZ Championship when they upset the LG Northern Mystics 49-45 in Auckland today.

The Perth team was rewarded for their greater composure and smarter netball as they consigned the highly-rated Mystics to a third consecutive loss. Fever remained unflappable throughout as the Mystics never hit their straps and produced and up-and-down performance. An encouraging 86 percent overall success rate in the shooting circle for the Fever laid the platform as the Mystics rate fell away to 75 percent.

Bianca Franklin had a top performance at goal attack, shooting 27 goals for a 90 percent conversion rate. She was well backed up by second half replacement Caitlin Bassett at goal shoot and intelligent mid-courter Karen Atkinson.

Fever made the most of a constructive opening, converting their opportunities with some pinpoint shooting from Franklin and Nikala Smith. The experienced head of nippy England vice-captain Atkinson ensured a steady flow to the shooters while goalkeeper Susan Fuhrmann, one of the tallest players in the league at 1.96m, did some good spoiling work for Fever.

The Mystics enjoyed their fair of possession but were plagued by a rash of unforced errors which played against them when in a position to challenge. Superior finishing propelled the Fever to a 14-10 first quarter advantage.

Dynamic centre Temepara George was all over the court in the second quarter as the Mystics looked to lift the tempo. Time and again the home team came within a whisker of bridging the gap but their error rate stalled the final push.

Fever plugged away, remaining steady on attack and continuing to hold out an ever-threatening Mystics. Franklin was as steady as a rock under the hoop to ensure the Fever maintained their margin as they headed into halftime 26-22 ahead.

In an ever-tightening battle, the Fever introduced the 1.92m Bassett at goal shoot for the second half with the Mystics matching the change with the imposing figure of Vilimaina Davu at goal keep.The rearranged defensive circle paid dividends for the Mystics, who on the back of some strong play, tied the match up at 33-all in the late stages of the third quarter. However, the Mystics were unable to capitalise as a lack of finishing once again proved their undoing.

Bassett slotted in comfortably against Davu while the Fever�s defensive duo of Fuhrmann and Ama Agbeze proved strong foilers against the young Mystics shooting duo of Jade Topia and Cathrine Latu. Not to be outdone, the visitors had the better finish to the quarter to head into the final 15 minutes 38-35 ahead.