The Volts and ND play in Queenstown today, the winner advancing to the preliminary final against either Auckland or Central Districts on Wednesday for a spot in next Sunday's final.
Last time the sides met, the Volts won by five wickets at Mount Maunganui on January 4.
As impressive as that win was, it had nothing on the 222-run win in Alexandra on December 27, the largest win in the history of one-day cricket in New Zealand.
As well as the previous two one-day matches, the sides split two close twenty20 games earlier in the season, while the Knights won a thrilling Plunket Shield match at the University Oval by 27 runs.
''Every game we have played against them has been pretty close but [for] the big one down in Alexandra,'' Mascarenhas said.
''They are a real tough team and we are going to have to be right on the money if we are going to push them again.
''We are expecting a real, tough, hard-fought game.''
If the Volts are to advance to within a game of the final, captain Aaron Redmond will need to continue his ''spectacular'' form with the bat.
He has scored at least 54 runs in six of his seven innings in the competition and is averaging 73.2 runs per innings.
His scores this season read: 63, 0, 64, 64, 61, 60 and 54 not out.
''He's been in great touch,'' Mascarenhas said.
''He's real keen as a captain to lead from the front and by example.''
The right-hander missed Otago's second game against Wellington for the birth of his second child, and has batted at No 3 the past few games, after opening and batting at No 4 in his first four innings.
Jacob Duffy is another player who has performed well for Otago in the one-day competition, picking up 15 wickets at an average of 21.33.
''Up front, he's been really good with the new ball and he's been getting better and better through the middle with the old ball at the death,'' Mascarenhas said.
''We will be looking at him to take early wickets along with [Neil] Wagner.''
After finishing dead last in the twenty20 competition and sitting last in the Plunket Shield standings, a home playoff game is a welcome relief for the Volts.
However, they are not exactly flying high heading into today's game, having won just one of their past four games, while two recent matches against Canterbury were abandoned due to rain.
The game is being played in Queenstown because the Otago Sparks are playing the Wellington Blaze in the national women's twenty20 final at the University Oval today.
The Volts arrived in Queenstown on Thursday and trained at the Queenstown Events Centre yesterday.
Jesse Ryder and James Neesham, who have had back complaints, will be evaluated this morning but are expected to play, Mascarenhas said.
