The Northern Mystics have survived some nervous late moments to close out a 55-53 win over the Central Pulse in the trans-Tasman netball league.
A month ago, the sides drew 52-52 after the Mystics had let slip a nine-goal second-quarter lead.
The Mystics again went nine goals up before halftime in Auckland on Monday night, and then saw the margin whittled down to just one with 10 minutes to go.
But the Pulse, who battled a high penalty count throughout the contest, couldn't get the match-levelling goal.
The win was just the Mystics' second of the season but it was enough to lift them above the Canterbury Tactix to second in New Zealand conference behind runaway leaders the Southern Steel.
Mystics shooter Cathrine Tuivaiti was her usual accurate self with 34 goals from 36 attempts.
But there was also an impressive shooting display at the end from 18-year-old Maia Wilson, who also finished above 90 per cent with 34/37.
Both teams were looking to bounce back from big losses against Australian opposition in the last round.
A key stretch came on either side of the first break, when the Mystics went on an 11-2 run that blew open what had been a tight contest.
After the first 17 points of the game had gone according to centre pass, the two teams continued to go tit-for-tat before the Mystics suddenly put the foot down.
With experienced goal keep Anna Harrison leading their effort at the back and teenager Holly Fowler providing able assistance at goal defence, the home side pulled away with five successive goals.
By halftime, they were up 34-25, but the Pulse, with memories of their last encounter against the Mystics fresh in their memory, refused to lie down.
They were just four goals behind after the third quarter and kept pressing in the final period, but the Mystics did just enough to hold them out.
