Melbourne Vixens stay in ANZ Championship finals hunt after big win over Northern Mystics

MELBOURNE Vixens have bolstered their hopes of playing in this year’s finals series with a percentage-boosting 69-46 win over the Northern Mystics at Hisense Arena.

Vixens star Madison Robinson gets in front of the Vixens defence.

MELBOURNE Vixens have bolstered their hopes of playing in this year’s finals series with a percentage-boosting 69-46 win over the Northern Mystics at Hisense Arena.

Hitting back from last week’s loss to the Queensland Firebirds, the Vixens achieved their highest score against the Mystics to reclaim third place on the Australian conference ladder from the West Coast Fever.

The Vixens were led by a dominant shooting performance from Karyn Bailey, who finished with 53 goals from 58 attempts to better her best personal score.

Megan Craig towers over Geva Mentor.

Bailey’s previous best was 50 goals against the Mainland Tactix in round six earlier this year.

While Bailey set the tone under the ring, Liz Watson was recognised for her sterling work in the midcourt to be named the game’s MVP.

The Vixens now face a crucial clash against West Coast Fever at home next Sunday - the team they are fighting against for the third spot in the Australian conference finals behind defending champions Queensland and the NSW Swifts.

The 203cm Megan Craig top-scored for the Mystics with 20 from 23 alongside Maria Tutaia (19/24), while Alice Teague-Neeld had 15 from 24 for the Vixens at goal attack.

It was a shaky start for the Vixens, with Bailey missing her first shot under the ring as the Mystics opened an early three-goal lead.

But the Vixens were able to turn the scoreline around quickly after ramping up their defensive pressure to emerge with a 15-11 lead at quarter-time.

After some initial scoring wobbles, Bailey found her groove to nail 13 goals in the opening quarter and by half-time had more than doubled her shooting figures - scoring 28 goals in the first half as the Vixens took a 34-23 lead.

Bailey’s impact prompted a reshuffle of the Mystics defence in the second quarter, with Temalisi Fakahokotau moving into goal keeper from the bench and Anna Harrison shifting to goal defence.

Karyn Bailey proves too much for two Mystics defenders.

It was not the end of the changes for the Mystics, third in the New Zealand conference, with the visitors injecting the towering Craig into the game at goal shooter in place of Cathrine Tuivaiti (nee Latu) half-way through the quarter.

While their consistency has let the team down at times this season, the Vixens continued to build on their lead in the third quarter, with the gap stretching to 18 goals before they took a 53-36 lead into the final change.

With the game in control, Vixens coach Simone McKinnis looked to give her bench a run in the final quarter, bringing on Kim Commane at goal attack and Chloe Watson at wing defence in place of Teague-Neeld and Kate Moloney.

In the end, the Vixens fell just short of their biggest win against the Mystics (24 goals in round one, 2014) in front of a crowd of 7521.

It was the Vixens’ last match against a New Zealand team at home in the trans-Tasman competition ahead of next year’s revamped national league, with their last two games of the season against the Southern Steel and Central Pulse in Invercargill and Wellington.

Originally published as Melbourne Vixens stay in ANZ Championship finals hunt after big win over Northern Mystics