13 May 2014

Magic coach laments poor shooting

11:57 am on 13 May 2014

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic have missed the chance to claim the outright lead in the trans-Tasman netball championship and their coach Julie Fitzgerald says poor shooting is largely to blame.

Monday night's 62-57 upset loss to the Steel in Invercargill keeps the Magic in second place, level on points with the table-topping Melbourne Vixens but behind on goal differential.

The Steel sit sixth on 10 points, two behind the fifth placed Pulse and two wins outside the top four.

It was the Magic's second consecutive defeat and slowed their charge towards securing a home semi-final.

There's now a four-way tie at the top of the table with the Melbourne Vixens, the Magic, the NSW Swifts and the Queensland Firebirds all on 14 points, with the Vixens first and Magic second by virtue of goal differential.