The Southern Steel have lost 54-53 in the final seconds against the Northern Stars in Dunedin tonight.
It was a gutting end to a game where the Steel showed heart and deserved to win.
But game management late in the match hurt the home side and an inability to shut down Stars captain Maia Wilson, who finished with 38 goals from 39 attempts.
It was a tight battle between the two bottom of the table teams, but the Stars won the final quarter 15-12 to seal just their second win.
Steel wing attack Serina Daunakamakama was simply outstanding, finishing with 35 feeds, 14 centre pass receives and one intercept.
She opened up the space for the rest of her attackers, drawing her defender out of the mess, set the screens and did all the little things right.
Grace Namana got the Steel under way when she drove on the 45 angle and found Georgia Heffernan on the base.
The Stars grabbed an early lead thanks to the dominance of Maia Wilson’s hold under the post.
But the score soon levelled in what was a very even quarter between the teams.
The Stars’ first option on attack was to always look long, and that opened the space for them.
At the other end, the Steel’s width across court, and depth on the second phase, was superb, as was their placement.
Wing defence Renee Savai’inaea picked the pocket - as she so often does - and Namana finished at the other end to trail 15-14 at the break.
They came out firing and forced the Stars into silly errors - and made them pay at the other end.
Namana rolled under the post to find better space and her shooter-to-shooter offloads with Georgia Heffernan burnt the Stars defenders.
That helped the home side out to a three-goal lead and kept the Stars scoreless for the opening three minutes.
Daunakamakama’s dominance forced the Stars to make a change, with Khayne-Lii Munro Nonoa injected at wing defence and Lisa Mather moved to centre.
Former Steel defender Kate Burley was a nuisance at goal keep for the Stars and intercepted the ball.
The Stars then went on a mini-run and went up by as much as four in a game of ebbs and flows.
Wilson worked well with new goal attack Amorangi Malesala, who drove the top hard and allowed Wilson to work the base.
But Taneisha Fifita picked off the feed and it started comeback from the Steel.
When the Steel used the ball to move their defenders, they found the gaps and it opened up their attack.
They worked tirelessly and brought it back level, until a late Stars goal gave the visitors a 28-27 lead at halftime.
Fifita came around the body of Wilson and put the feed wayward to start the third.
It started a dogged defensive effort from the Steel, which saw the home side go up by five.
Abby Lawson worked tirelessly to shut down Malesala, Savai’inaea took a screamer, Kate Heffernan snaffled at the top and Daunakamkama picked another on the transverse line.
It brought to life a loud home crowd when they forced a held ball and the Steel clicked into another gear.
But the Stars kept their composure, slowed the ball down the court and made the most of their chances to close the Steel lead 41-39 at the break.
That steadfast attitude remained for the Stars in the fourth and Burley picked off two balls to close the score.
Not to be outdone, Savai’inaea came up with the ball at the Stars centre pass, but Holly Fowler snaffled the Steel’s cross court feed and her team marched on from there.
