Central Pulse picked up their first win of the trans-Tasman netball league with a 48-41 win over the still-winless Canterbury Tactix in Christchurch on Monday.
Neither team shot with the accuracy they needed, both recording a sub-par 73 per cent over four quarters.
The Pulse edged out to a 12-11 lead after 15 minutes, despite some uncharacteristically wayward shooting from shooters Jodi Brown and Irene van Dyk.
The pair missed eight of their 20 attempts on goal, tight work from Tactix defenders Demelza Fellowes and Jess Moulds off the ball and on the shot proving disruptive.
In contrast, Mwai Kumwenda and Bailey Mes were more patient and accurate in sinking 11 from 14 for the Tactix.
But once the Pulse started shutting down the Tactix attackers out wide, particularly in the second spell, the supply of ball into Kumwenda and Mes became more erratic and the visitors took a 24-21 lead into halftime.
Pulse coach Robyn Broughton's decision to bench Brown five minutes before the break proved effective, with the Silver Ferns goal attack struggling on the shot and only managing to sink eight from 16 attempts before she was subbed.
Her replacement, Silver Ferns teammate Ameliaranne Wells, provided more movement in the circle and accuracy on goal. With van Dyk becoming increasingly static under the post, Wells offered more options for her feeders and the Pulse midcourt began to let the ball go with greater freedom.
The Pulse's through-court defence, led by hard-working wing defence Joline Henry, continued to pressure the Tactix on attack, and a series of handling errors and turnovers were coolly converted at the other end to give the Pulse a 35-30 lead at the three-quarter mark.
Broughton again tweaked her circle for the final stanza. She benched van Dyk, who had shot just 16 from 21 over 45 minutes, brought Brown back on at goal attack and shifted Wells to goal shoot.
The new combination worked efficiently, Brown sinking all but one of her 11 shots on goal in a vastly improved effort.
Wells shot at 82 per cent accuracy with 14 from 17, but it was the Pulse's control of the midcourt and superior ball retention which sealed the win.
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