Experienced mid-courter Laura Langman believes the Silver Ferns are growing as a netball team - they just need to learn to close out matches.
New Zealand face an improbable task in wresting the Constellation Cup from holders Australia after a 58-48 defeat in Auckland left them 2-0 down in the four-Test series.
A see-sawing encounter looked to be headed for a grandstand finish on Thursday night, before the Diamonds pulled away over the last five minutes.
"It was towards the last wee bit of the last quarter that a few errors crept in, and they capitalised and turned on the heat," Langman said.
"But on the whole, we've grown a lot as a group and now we just need to sort out our execution.
"Aussie have got to a point in their game where they know how to finish. We have to get to that point too."
The Diamonds' victory at Vector Arena featured a crack shooting performance by the partnership of Caitlin Bassett (39/41) and player-of-the-match Natalie Medhurst (19/20).
Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu said any side landing 95 per cent of their attempts would be difficult to beat.
"We need to try and stop that shooting circle, but it's a very good Australian shooting circle," she said.
"I think we've got the best defenders in the country here, so we have to keep working at it."
The last two Tests of the series are in Melbourne on Sunday and Perth next Friday.
The Silver Ferns will have to win both, and end up with a better goal percentage overall, to bring the cup back across the Tasman.
"We're going to take each Test as it comes, because yes, the series is going to be really tough now and in Australia it's going to be tough," Taumaunu said.
"But again, we have some individual things we're working on. It will be about improving, so I guess the next step will be looking at that last five minutes."
The series marks Taumaunu's swan song as Silver Ferns coach, following her decision to step down after four years in the job.
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