For the fourth time this year the Southern Steel and Mainland Tactix played out a nail-biter.
This time, though, the stakes were infinitely higher.
The Wendy Frew-captained Steel emerged a 53-49 victor in the ANZ Premiership elimination final in Invercargill last night.
That gives it the opportunity to defend its title in Palmerston North on Sunday in the final against the Central Pulse.
It took a huge fourth quarter to get over the line, though.
The host trailed 41-40 going into that final quarter, before three big defensive plays gave it a buffer.
The first of those came when a Kate Beveridge pass missed its target, before Shannon Francois and Gina Crampton both created key turnovers.
That enabled the Steel to shoot out to 49-43, although as it had the whole game, the Tactix fired back.
Temalisi Fakahokotau came up with some crucial ball at the defensive end and the visitor rallied to trail 50-49 late in the game.
However, the Steel was clinical and closed out the win.
It had been equally intense getting to that point.
A Courtney Elliott deflection ignited the Steel after a slow first three minutes.
She came flying from inside the circle to deflect a ball and save it from going over the sideline.
The Steel took the lead at 5-4 moments later and then began to exert its dominance.
Its attack began to flow, while the defence made the Tactix work to get the ball over Elliott into Ellie Bird.
The Steel opened up a four goal gap and held that most of the quarter, although went to the break at 15-12.
The Tactix got that back to 15-14, before the Steel defence again dug in.
That helped it score five consecutive goals and the side looked in control, the attack operating clinically.
However, the Tactix did not fold.
Its defence showed why it is rated so highly, grabbing several intercepts and forcing the Steel to be patient with the ball.
Fakahokotau was key in that, having snagged three intercepts by halftime.
Her side was able to use those chances to capitalise at the other end, finding Bird at the goal with far more ease.
That enabled it to score nine of the next 11 goals.
The Steel stemmed the flow late in the quarter, but not before giving up the lead.
It trailed 29-28 at halftime, Bird scoring seconds before the break to give the Tactix a buffer.
Momentum well and truly swung the Tactix way early in the third quarter.
The Steel could not stop it scoring, while Fakahokotau and Jane Watson continued to be disruptive.
That helped the Tactix out to a 36-31 lead, before a Gina Crampton intercept gave the Steel the break it needed.
It sparked yet another momentum swing as the Steel drew within two.
When Beveridge missed an open shot three minutes later, the Steel brought it back to one and then tied things at 38-38 seconds later.
The Tactix used the clock well to score last and lead 41-40 at the final break, before the Steel took the lead and held it in the final quarter.
ANZ Premiership
The scores
Southern Steel ............. 53
Jennifer O’Connell 38/40, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 15/22.
Mainland Tactix ............ 49
Ellie Bird 42/45, Kate Beveridge 4/5, Brooke Leaver 3/3.
Quarter scores: Q1: 15-12, Q2: 17-13, Q3: 12-12, Q4: 13-8.
