ROBYN EDIE/STUFF

Steel shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit puts up an attempt with Stars defender Ama Agbeze contesting.

A big defensive play in the final minute has helped the Southern Steel to a narrow netball premiership win over the Northern Stars.

They prevailed by two, 63-61, at ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill on Sunday, after trailing at the end of each of the first three quarters, shrugging off any worries their 31-goal loss to the Central Pulse in the middle of the week may have caused.

For the Stars, it was another lost game in a campaign where they are yet to get a win. Like three of the four before it, this one was agonisingly close, and they will wonder how they let an ANZ Premiership victory slip from their grasp once again.

The crucial play came with just over a minute to play, as Steel defender Courtney Elliott got in the way of a bounce pass from Holly Fowler to Stars shooter Maia Wilson when the Aucklanders were looking to tie the game.

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The Stars had found themselves down by four 10 minutes in, as the Steel were able to win some early turnover ball and put up a few extra shots, but they fought their way back, and turned the tables.

Stars shooters Wilson and Paul Griffin only missed one attempt between them in the first quarter, which ended with the Stars in front by one, 16-15 as Griffin put the ball in the net in the dying seconds.

The two teams went goal for goal as the second quarter began, but with the Wilson-Griffin pairing working well in combination with wing attack Grace Kara, the Stars were able to eke out a two-goal lead, which they maintained through until the halftime break, where they were up 33-31.

There wasn't a lot between the two teams - they both put up 36 attempts in the first half - but the Steel were making just a few more mistakes - eight turnovers to four - and that was where the difference was.

Olivia Bates had replaced Jennifer O'Connell in the shooting circle for the Steel late in the second quarter, and as the third began, she netted twice, first to level the scores, then to put her team in front. They went on a 7-2 run in the first five minutes of the period, opening up a three-goal lead of their own, with the Stars unable to get back in their first-half groove.

They were able to quickly pull back level, however, and the two teams settled back in to a goal-for-goal contest as the penultimate period ended, with a brilliant long pass from Kara helping Griffin put the Stars up by one heading into the final stanza, 49-48.

The scores were still locked, 56-56, as they reached the halfway mark, and that was when the Steel were able to go on a little run, opening up a three-goal advantage, but the Stars were able to draw level again, 60-60, as the clock ticked under three minutes, after a couple of big defensive stops.

Elliott then came up huge when her team needed her the most, and they were able to claim their fourth win of the season, moving up to second on the ladder.

Southern Steel 63 (Jennifer O'Connell 21/27, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 37/45, Olivia Bates 5/6) Northern Stars 61 (Maia Wilson 42/45, Paula Griffin 19/22) 
Q1: 15-16; Q2: 31-33; Q3: 48-49

Points (games played): Pulse 10 (5), Steel 8 (6), Tactix 7 (5), Mystics 6 (5), Stars 3 (5), Magic 3 (5)

 - Stuff