Central Pulses reign as ANZ Premiership netball champions could be over after suffering an agonising three-goal defeat to Mainland Tactix.
Tactix goal shoot Ellie Bird scored twice inside the final 10 seconds to pull off a thrilling 52-49 win at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua on Friday night after trailing on three occasions, keeping their playoff hopes alive and all but ending the Pulses dream of a three-peat.
Effectively needing to win each of their remaining games to break into the top-three, the Pulse came close to pulling off an upset victory against last years beaten finalists but were penalised for held ball when trailing by one.
Central Pulse goal shoot scores spectacular goal in narrow defeat to Mainland Tactix.
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The Pulse coughed up their lead in the third quarter but goal shoot Aliyah Dunn dragged her team back into the game with back-to-back goals, including a spectacular shot, to level the score at 49-49 with less than three minutes remaining.
Taking a pass from wing attack Whitney Souness, Dunn turned away from Tactix goal keep Jane Watson and threw up a miracle shot behind her shoulder, somehow keeping herself in play while balancing on one foot.
The goal went in, much to the delight of the vocal crowd in attendance at Te Rauparaha Arena, and Dunn scored again to set up a grandstand finish, only for captain Claire Kersten to be penalised for held ball as she could not get a pass away while under considerable pressure from the suffocating Tactix defence.
Bird made the Pulse pay for the error, closing out the game with three consecutive goals to secure victory.
The result has moved the Tactix level with third place Southern Steel on 21 points while the two-time defending champion Pulse are six points below the playoff threshold with just three games left to play.
Mainland Tactix 52 (Ellie Bird 41/44, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 11/14) Central Pulse 49 (Aliyah Dunn 35/38, Te Amo Amaru Tibble 12/18, Ivana Rowland 2/2)
Quarter scores: 12-14, 27-28, 40-38
Stuff MVP points: Samon Nathan, Aliyah Dunn, Ellie Bird
