Defending ANZ champions NSW Swifts held out a surging LG Mystics side desperate for victory across the Tasman tonight - the home team’s composure eventually rewarded with a 59-55 win.

The Swifts’ victory in Sydney completed an Australian whitewash of the Anzac weekend – the Australian sides winning all five contests with New Zealand teams in round five. But the Auckland-based Mystics came frustratingly close to snatching one back for the Kiwis. 

There was plenty of historic rivalry in the last match-up of the round:  the Swifts defeated the Mystics by a single goal in extra-time in last year’s ANZ Championship clash, while the Mystics got one back at the pre-competition tournament in Queensland earlier this year.

Swifts captain Catherine Cox showed no signs of the ankle injury that sidelined her in last weekend’s loss to the Magic, shooting 88 percent in the match, and she was relieved when her side secured their second win of the season, albeit not in totally convincing style.

“They [Mystics] came back at us, good on them, but I was really impressed with the way we held on,” she said afterwards. The Swifts had learned from their loss to the Magic, working on how to break through the New Zealand-style zone defence during the week, but Cox admitted it was still a problem area for the defending champions.  

One of the stars of the match was Swifts midcourter Kimberlee Green, who started at centre prepared for a royal battle with Mystics star Temepara George - and that’s what she got. But Green managed to dodge the former Silver Ferns star long enough to get some beautiful ball into Cox and Susan Pratley.

Cox put up some long-range shots with big success in the first quarter scoring off nine from 10 attempts – even in the shadow of Swifts’ keeper Vilimaina Davu. At the other end, Mystics Cathrine Latu was in commanding form too, potting 10 from 12 in her first 15 minutes. 

The Swifts finished a solid first quarter 16-13 up, but the Mystics were still in touch, getting back to within one soon into the second spell.  LG Mystics coach Te Aroha Keenan had made some changes in her line-up at the break, moving George to wing attack away from Green, and giving Rawinia Everitt a chance to make an impact at centre. 

The Mystics appeared to lose some impetus after goal defence Stephanie Bond tripped and fell heavily on her wrist, and simultaneously, the Swifts’ confidence grew, with circle defenders Rebecca Bulley and Kimberley Smith limiting Latu’s opportunities, and Cox and Pratley going on a scoring spree to open up a lead of six.

George led her troops by example in the last few minutes before half-time, but the Swifts held on to a 33-27 for the second half.

English shooter Pamela Cookey then entered the game as Keenan rang more changes, benching goal attack Grace Rasmussen and Davu, who was replaced by Rasmussen’s sister, Rachel.  

The fresh legs were a tonic for the Mystics, Rasmussen making three crucial intercepts and Cookey shooting with absolute accuracy and making good space for Latu to take the ball in her favoured shooting spot to the right side of the goalpost. The Swifts defence, led by Bulley, maintained enough pressure to force the Mystics into some over-ambitious feeding at times, but it was the Mystics who won the third quarter by one, to close the margin to 46-41.

Emma Koster was introduced at goal keep for the Swifts, moving Bulley to goal defence, to try to upset Latu’s rhythm, but it was the best performance of the year by Samoan international Latu, who ended the game with a creditable 95%, 38 from 40 attempts. The Mystics sneaked to within one with five minutes remaining, and the game took on a fast and frantic air.

Composed as ever, Cox made another couple of impossible long shots look a piece of cake; Koster interrupted a big pass bound for Latu, and the Swifts wrapped up a vital win in their championship defence campaign.