The Central Pulse are the only unbeaten team left in the ANZ Premiership, after a 52-44 win over the Mainland Tactix in Wellington.
Teenage shooters Alihay Dunn and Tiana Me-tua-rau were on target again for the capital side, slotting a combined 49 goals from 57 attempts.
The Pulse won the second quarter by nine goals (15-6) to pave the way for victory.
While the new-look Tactix continued to show a great improvement in form, particularly on defence, they struggled at times to thread the ball cleanly through the court.
The Pulse started strongly, but disruption from the Tactix defence, led by the relentless Temalisi Fakahokotau, helped the visitors get their heads in the game. Only in the last minute did the Pulse steal a march to lead 15-11 after the first quarter.
Dunn and Metuarau poured on six goals after the break, before the Tactix could even add one to their total. To add injury to insult, Tactix captain Jess Maclennan had to leave the court, after an awkward fall left her clutching her knee.
The Pulse kept racing through the second quarter, scoring nearly three times as many goals as the Tactix, and were up 30-17 at halftime. Claire Kersten and Katrina Grant hauled in a telling number of intercepts for the home side.
Brooke Leaver’s entry into the game at goal attack helped improve the Tactix shooting accuracy and intensity, and the visitors only lost the third quarter 13-12.
But the difference was still in double figures, 43-29, in the Pulse’s favour.
The Tactix continued to improve at the start of the final quarter, with Fakahokotau contesting every ball that entered the Pulse circle.
Leaver and experienced Australian shooter Kate Beveridge had established a good understanding at the other end, scoring eight goals to the Pulse’s one straight after the break, but that fizzled when Beveridge was forced to retire to the bench, after turning an ankle.
From there, Grant and Sulu Fitzpatrick resumed their control on defence, with Grant earning the MVP award.
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