Magic far too good for Tactix

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic have got back to winning ways in the trans-Tasman netball league by downing the Mainland Tactix 74-56.

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic have got their trans-Tasman netball league campaign back on track with a comfortable 74-56 win over the Mainland Tactix in Mt Maunganui.

The margin of victory means the Magic, who were coming off two successive losses, climb above the NSW Swifts into second spot on the table.

With two rounds to go, the top three sides are level on competition points, with the Melbourne Vixens leading the standings on goal percentages.

The bottom-of-the-table Tactix, in their first match since coach Leigh Gibbs announced she would step down at end of the season to concentrate on a high performance role, have won just once this year and had never beaten the Magic.

They made a good start at ASB Baypark Arena, their attack looking slick through the court and centre Jade Clarke and shooter Mwai Kumwenda combining well.

Kumwenda, second behind the Southern Steel's Jhaniele Fowler-Reid as the competition's most prolific scorer, ended with a match-high 48 goals from 51 attempts.

But the Magic made their move in the second quarter as mid-courters Grace Rasmussen and Courtney Tairi got their connections going with goal shoot Jo Harten and goal attack Ellen Halpenny.

By halftime, the home side had pulled out to a 36-26 lead.

The Magic also had a 10-goal buffer during the previous round, only to go down to the Southern Steel, but there was no repeat this time around.

Coach Julie Fitzgerald opted to change up her line-up at the start of the third quarter, including getting Harten and Halpenny to swap bibs.

The alternations didn't halt the flow of goals as the Magic stretched their buffer to 54-41 at three-quarter time.

That allowed Fitzgerald to rest skipper Casey Kopua and give Jo Trip a run at goal defence.

In sharing the shooting load, Harten finished with 40/44 and Halpenny 34/36.


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Source: AAP


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