After leading by one at three-quarter time, the Steel had a costly start to the fourth, the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic controlling the pace to go up by five early on and finishing strongly to win 52-45.
Baily Mes came out to goal attack and was strong defensively, as was Georgie Edgecombe in the middle.
The home side scored 16 goals to the Steel’s eight in the final spell, a disappointing end to a game in which the Steel looked capable of notching its first win in 13 matches of the 2023 ANZ Premiership season.
Saviour Tui was instrumental for the Steel, shooting 34 goals and was calm on her shot under a lot of pressure.
She found the body of her defenders, created space for herself and was powerful on her take.
Kate Heffernan was outstanding, directing the attack line and picking up ball at crucial moments.
The Steel’s timing was better through court, and players backed each other up, but that went missing in the final quarter.
It was a much better start for the visitors.
Heffernan picked up a circle edge tip and a stepping call against Ameliaranne Ekenasio allowed the Steel to go up 4-0.
The Magic eventually clicked into gear, went four in a row and added a couple more to get in front.
Claire Kersten had a strong drive to the pocket, Mes rolled in to the back space and took a lovely ball to give her team a 13-10 lead at the break.
The Steel had the opportunity to close the gap to two, but a lack of awareness of time remaining on the clock cost the visitor.
Ekenasio looked like she had all the time in the world with the ball and was the playmaker in the Magic attack line.
But Kate Burley came in the game more and her combination with captain Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit shut down the Magic’s shooter-to-shooter offloads.
Selby-Rickit was not flashy, but shut down the space off the ball, and gave Burley the room to pick up deflections.
It was those deflections, and an intercept from Renee Savai’inaea — playing her 50th game — that helped level the scores.
The Magic went on a mini-run again to take the lead, but the Steel used its ball speed and found its rhythm to level the scores 25-25 at halftime.
It was a tight third quarter, with the Magic’s experience in Kersten, Mes, Ekenasio and Erena Mikaere steadying their side.
The score fluctuated, with the Steel fumbling the ball in attack at times when it needed to put scoreboard pressure on.
The Magic — chasing its first win in five matches — went up by two, but a Kate Heffernan intercept and Mes being called for obstruction under the post, levelled the scores again.
Tui slotted a much-needed goal under pressure in the dying seconds of the quarter to level it 37-37.
The Steel plays the Magic again in two weeks.
ANZ Premiership
The scores
Waikato-BoP Magic 52
Bailey Mes 25/27, Ameliaranne Ekenasio 27/29
Southern Steel 45
Saviour Tui 34/37, Georgia Heffernan 9/13, Jess Allan 2/2
Quarter scores: 13-10, 25-25, 36-37
