A rampant second quarter helped the GoSweetSpot Mystics retain the Northern Challenge trophy when they out-paced their cross-town rivals, the Stars, 57-51 in Auckland on Saturday.

The Trusts Arena opened its doors to a Pasifika celebration and a netball masterclass as the crowd was treated to some spectacular play from both sides. For the first time this season the Mystics took to the court without league leading defender, Catherine Hall, ruled out of the match after suffering a foot injury last week. The Stars boasted a full-strength side with the experienced Samon Nathan getting the nod to start at wing defence.

Both sides started off in faultless fashion with an eye-catching display of clinical error-free netball resulting in a goal-for-goal opening eight minutes with pin-point feeds into respective shooters Maia Wilson and Amelia Walmsley. In a rarity for netball, it took until the last five minutes for a turnover to occur, the Stars benefitting from a Mystics lapse to produce a surging few minutes and head to the first break with a 16-11 lead.

Proceedings quickly changed tack in an explosive second quarter with Charlotte Manley sparking a momentum-swinging shift for the Mystics. With the rangy defender shining through her non stop efforts and turnovers at the defensive end, her team-mates jumped on board with a lift across the court.

The home side turned the game on its head, finding their flow on attack with some dazzling through-court exchanges while shooters Wilson (19 from 19) and Filda Vui (12 from 12) revelled in the clean ball landing in their hands.

In response the Stars lost their shape and looked half the side of the previous quarter, the onslaught taking its toll on their decision-making and execution. A string of six straight goals gave the Mystics the upper hand, the hosts keeping their foot on the throttle with a withering 20-8 second quarter barrage to take a 31-24 lead into the main break.

Regathering their control, the Stars mustered a stirring comeback in a competitive third stanza.

Receiving a warning, Manley was replaced by lofty rookie goalkeeper Leila Atkins, a Marvels national league player, who took the court for her ANZ Premiership debut. Although playing with more poise and accuracy, the Stars couldn’t quite reverse the Mystics dominance.

Stars midcourter Mila Reuelu-Buchanan was at the heart of the revival. Outscoring the Mystics 17-13 trimmed the Mystics lead to 44-41 at the last break, leaving the game wide open for both sides.

Two defining rejections by veteran Mystics defender Phoenix Karaka in the last five minutes halted any threat from the Stars, who were nibbling their way back into contention with a Salmon 2 point shot.

Playing some of her best netball so far this season midcourt maestro Peta Toeava was the orchestrator of some scintillating passages of play, unstoppable and unreadable, and with the defence end flexing their muscle, the Stars were held out of the win and the bonus point.