The Southern Steel maintained their composure under pressure for a 63-58 national netball premiership win over the second-placed Northern Mystics in Auckland.
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The win halted the Mystics run to the outright top spot on the premiership ladder, and showcased the Steel's patience on attack and tight, clean pressure on defence led by keeper Taneisha Fifita.
The Mystics were left to rue a slow start yet again, as their misfiring attack line struggled with the final delivery into the shooting circle and conceded eight turnovers in the first quarter.
The Steel led 17-11 at the first break, and although the Mystics lifted in the second spell briefly, they still trailed 32-26 at halftime.
The southerners continued to show patience on attack, converting their possession, and were just as composed on defence.
The Mystics were guilty of too many flat passes into shooter Grace Nweke, which were easily picked off by Fifita, and they trailed 43-50 at the three-quarter mark.
They closed to within five at the final whistle to secure a consolation bonus point.
In the later game, the Central Pulse shook off a determined challenge from the Magic to record a comfortable 64-53 win in Wellington.
Once again, the defending champions shooting accuracy underpinned the win. Aliyah Dunn shot with 91 percent accuracy, missing only four of her 46 attempts while Te Amo Amaru-Tibble nailed 22 from 25 at 88 percent.
