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Mystics' Maria Tutaia - Source: Photosport -
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The Northern Mystics will relish the chance for redemption when they play Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in this weekend's round of the trans-Tasman netball league.
Going into the second half of the season, the Mystics are seventh in the standings while the Magic are the best of the New Zealand teams in fourth with just one loss from five matches.
The standings are topped by Australia's New South Wales Swifts, Melbourne Vixens and Adelaide Thunderbirds.
The Mystics broke a three-match losing streak last weekend with a 59-50 win over Canterbury Tactix and must hope momentum will take them to a fourth win of the season from what will be a difficult trip to Hamilton on Monday.
Despite having poached tough Silver Ferns defender Joline Henry and elegant shooter Maria Tutaia from the Magic in the off-season, the Mystics were soundly beaten 46-55 at home when the teams met in round three.
A fired-up Mystics threw the kitchen sink at the Magic but could not crack composed opponents whose shooters Irene van Dyk and Jodi Brown proved more accurate then Tutaia and Samoan international Cathrine Latu.
It was a slow start in which they trailed the Magic 9-14 that ultimately proved their undoing in that match, something the Mystics will not want to repeat.
The other match involving New Zealand teams on Saturday sees a South Island derby between ninth-placed Canterbury Tactix and Southern Steel at Christchurch, both teams meeting for the first time this season.
The Steel, sixth in the standings, will also be looking for their fourth win to stay in contention for the semifinals.
The winless Central Pulse, beaten 40-64 by the Steel in their last outing, get a respite with the bye this weekend.
Across the Tasman, the focus will be on Sunday's match between the Swifts and the Vixens, still smarting from a 41-62 thrashing by the Queensland Firebirds last week which ended their unbeaten record and let an inactive Swifts, sitting out the bye, take top spot in the standings.
The loss was the Vixens' first defeat since June last year, and their biggest defeat in the franchise's history.
The other match is between the Firebirds and West Coast Fever at Brisbane on Monday.
