The last bowl by Alexandra fours skip Trevor Drake decided the game when he drove the jack into the ditch to take two shots to win the final fours game 16-8.
Taieri needed to win the last end of the fours by three shots to win the five-round two-day event on the differential count on the Balclutha Bowling Club green.
They had the three shots on the head before Drake's last bowl in the zone six regional interclub finals earlier this month and looked likely to qualify for the national finals at Palmerston North later this month.
Alexandra won the final by nine points.
The final points were: Alexandra 24 points (differential plus 77), Taieri 24 (differential plus 68), Te Rangi (Southland) 12 (minus 22), Milton (South Otago) 10 (minus 12), Phoenix (North Otago) 10 (minus 44), Kia Toa (South Canterbury) 2 (minus 67).
''Yes, we are disappointed but the competition was fiercely fought and it went right down the wire to the last bowl of the last game on the green,'' Taieri club manager Robbie Gibson said.
The best Taieri player was former international Ken Walker, who won his five singles games.
