Match Report Steel v Mystics – Rd 3
April 26, 2026
A last quarter rampage secured the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel a dominant 57-46 victory over nemesis the Go Sweet Spot Mystics in Auckland.
It was the showdown predicted with both sides trading blows on the scoreboard in the first half before the Southerners impressively upped the ante.
The Steel enlisted its trademark patience when needed to combat the relentless Mystics defence and had its chances to take a one-goal buffer into the first two breaks but failed to execute in time, leaving the score locked on both occasions.
Intriguing battles emerged in several key match ups, collectively contributing to a passionate spectacle with oodles of intensity.
With Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua an eager spectator, the battle of the goal keep bib between Carys Stythe and her Mystics counterpart Catherine Hall was exhilarating as neither player wavered.
As the hunt for possession intensified, bursts of erratic play crept in but it didn’t detract from the entertainment value.
For Steel, midcourters Kimiora Poi and Serina Daunakamakama were simply electrifying on attack. Adding to her already bulging repertoire, Poi demonstrated her defensive prowess to deliver a raft of turnovers and gain Steel a crucial buffer.
Riding a wave of confidence – and with head coach Wendy Frew’s statement “no passengers” ringing in their ears – the Steel executed a formidable team effort to unleash in the final stanza.
In contrast, the Mystics previous composure abandoned them when it mattered most, a pair of late super shots from Filda Vui mitigating the damage slightly.
Two new names were added to Steel’s history books with Australian defender Molly Watson earning her debut after a last-minute SOS call to fill in for Jess Milne, who is recovering from a shoulder knock sustained in last week’s game against the Stars.
Shooter Josie Bingham was injected into the game in the closing stages.
Captain Poi was happy with the momentum Steel was building since its opening round loss.
“We just had some honest conversations with each other but also really looked at ourselves individually and how we played our role in the team game plan,” she told TVNZ.
“We really brought the energy tonight – it was so good.
“Everyone just applied the pressure and we said in the first half it’s going to come … and I think it did come in that third and fourth quarter.
“We were building the pressure and then finally the ball was dropping our way. But we’re also quite clinical in our attack and that’s something we’ve been focusing on this week, having good possession with the ball in hand.”
Vice captain Georgia Heffernan revealed Frew’s halftime message.
“Pretty much to ride the wave. We knew we just had to stay connected, keep doing what we were doing and it was going to get easier and open up – and it did. I felt like we put them under a lot of pressure down the defence end,” she said.
“We’re so proud of that performance. We knew it was going to be really, really hard and we just stayed connected as a group and did what we’d practised all week.”
Frew was a satisfied coach.
“It’s an intense job this one but it’s a real honour and a privilege to be leading the Steel on performances like that,” she said.
“Mystics are a real physical side and we kind of absorbed that in the first half and then from there in that second half it just opened up a wee bit more and we really worked hard for each other.
“A lot of messaging around taking those hits and making sure we were driving strong to the ball and completing our lines, and as coaches all the messages we gave them at the breaks they delivered on so it’s a good feeling.
“Obviously there’s a lot of work that goes on behind closed doors, analysing the Mystics and ensuring our game plan will combat that. We were lucky this week in that we had three trainings, so we really put the work in and it definitely paid off with a performance like that.”
Mystics shooter Maia Wilson, who racked up her 150th game, summed it up.
“For us, we weren’t able to use that middle or top of the circle in the third quarter and they probably got five or six goals on us. Unfortunately, when you come up against a team like the Steel you aren’t able to give them those little ins. We just weren’t able to do it tonight,” she said.
It was a statement win for the Steel.
With both teams coming off strong second-round wins, this promised to be a competitive match-up and so it proved before the Steel exploded in the second half to take a firm grip on proceedings.
With the teams unable to be separated during a close and tightly contested first two quarters, the Steel made their move in the third to grab the initiative while ramming home their advantage in the fourth to record a comprehensive result.
Playing at home for the first time this season and getting some of their injured players back, the Mystics couldn’t halt the rampant Steel, who prevailed 16-10 and 15-10 in the second half quarters.
The home side were unable to stem the contribution of key Steel figures, shooter Aliyah Dunn, who delivered a perfect 47 from 47 return, midcourter Poi and defender Stythe who were instrumental in notching a rare win in Auckland.
The teams produced an action-packed and lively opening quarter with play swinging back and forth, the Steel gaining the slightest of edges before the Mystics surged back to compete on level terms.
Respective goalkeepers Hall and Stythe kept their opposing shooters honest while the home side took time to negotiate the Steel’s effective full-court defensive press.
With the scores all locked up Mystics captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson moved from wing defence to centre with the rangy figure of Charlotte Manley coming off the bench and onto the wing.
The impasse remained with a goal-for-goal stand-off heading to the first break, both teams having 13 attempts and unable to be separated with the scores tied at 12-apiece.
The Mystics gained the lead for the first time on the resumption but it was short-lived, the game continuing at a fast pace, the lead changing hands several times before the Steel settled into a two-goal buffer for much of the stanza.
Goal shooters Dunn and Wilson were pictures of poise, accuracy and positioning while delivering 100 percent records through the first half.
Long-serving Mystics midcourter Tayla Earle was injected at centre midway through the quarter for her first game-time this year after coming back from injury while the Steel thrust Watson into the action at goal defence.
Two-point specialist Vui got the Mystics back on level terms with the only double-pointer of the half, demonstrating the even contest when the teams remained locked at 26-all at the main break.
With a noticeable lift in intensity, it was the relentless attacking and defensive work of the Steel that allowed for a big shift in proceedings.
Captain Poi was at her influential best through the midcourt, picking up a run of rare turnovers at the defensive end while working in tandem with rising young fellow attacker Daunakama to regularly get the ball into the safe hands of Dunn.
The cool, calm and collected Dunn was in unstoppable form under the hoop while the combined efforts at both ends of the court gave the Steel the upper hand as they inched into a handy lead.
Returning from the injured list, Katie Te Ao replaced Earle at centre and had her moments but the Mystics attack line was generally well-contained by the Steel. Stythe continued her strong form to keep the Mystics shooters under wraps while goal attack Heffernan was a work horse outside the circle as well as providing good nuisance value on defence.
Retaining their composure, it was the Steel who had all the momentum when taking a handy 42-36 lead at the last break.
