4 Mar 2014

Pulse fall to last-gasp loss

11:06 am on 4 March 2014

The Central Pulse have blown a prime opportunity to start their trans-tasman netball campaign with an upset win over last year's defending champions.

Leading into the final quarter the hosts fell to a last-gasp winning shot that kept the Adelaide Thunderbirds' unbeaten streak alive in a 45-44 heart-stopper in Porirua.

Thunderbirds shooter Carla Borrego sunk 32 of her 37 shots during the game, but no goal was as crucial as her final one - a shot she missed twice, rebounded twice, and scored with nothing left on the clock, denying the Pulse an opening round boilover.

Ahead by four after the first quarter, the Pulse soon lead by six and took a 1 point advantage into the final quarter.

However turnovers crippled them, the Thunderbirds' patience and experience ultimately paying off.

Adelaide came into the match on a 13-game winning streak, and are now just one short of the league record set by the Queensland Firebirds in 2011.