The Steel and Vixens have approached the season with very contrasting styles.
The Steel has been all about attack and had been averaging almost 64 goals a game. But they met their match in the Vixens, whose stifling defence is the best in the ANZ Championship.
They held the Steel to just nine goals in the crucial third quarter and that paved the way for their 58-52 win at the Hisense Arena in Melbourne last night.
Vixens goal keep Geva Mentor managed to do what no-one else has - get the better of Steel shooter Jhaniele Fowler.
The towering Jamaican international had been averaging more than 50 goals a game but was restricted to 45 - a mammoth tally all the same.
Steel goal attack Jodi Brown could have lifted her shooting output to take some pressure off Fowler. However, the Steel, for the most part, was competitive using the game plan which has been enormously successful over the past month.
The visiting side matched the home side in the opening exchanges until a long ball from Brown drifted long. Mentor used her body to check Fowler, who may have gathered the ball had it not been for the contact.
Some flawless netball from the Vixens and much improved shooting resulted in the home side's lead ballooning to five. But the Steel has made a habit of finishing quarters strongly and scored five quick goals to level the score at the break.
In such a tight game, Mentor was always going to feature. She forced a rare turnover when she slapped the ball away from Fowler and then did enough to put off her opponent moments later.
The Steel persisted with long floating passes into the circle and got back in front thanks to a fine intercept from Rachel Rasmussen.
People continue to under-estimate Rasmussen and she continues to confound them. She is more shrewd than athletic and her ability to read play compensates for any shortcomings.
At halftime, the game could not have been more even. Both sides had scored 29 of their 32 attempts.
Shannon Francois replaced Wendy Frew at wing defence for the Steel. With her extra pace, she was seemingly better equipped to match classy wing attack Madison Browne.
But it was the Vixens who struck first in the crucial third quarter with an unanswered seven-goal run. Put most of it down to tremendous defence and it proved decisive.
In Dunedin, the Adelaide Thunderbirds posted their eighth consecutive win with a 62-58 victory against the Tactix.
The game was scheduled for Dunedin when the Tactix were unable to secure a venue in their own catchment.
About 400 fans turned out for what was a rather lacklustre affair. The Thunderbirds controlled the match but you got the feeling they were drifting, happy to do just enough. They rotated players and shared the minutes which robbed the game of some of its flow.
Vixens v Steel
The scores
Vixens 58
Tegan Caldwell 33 from 37, Karyn Howarth 25/29
Steel 52
Jhaniele Fowler 45/50, Jodi Brown 7/9
Quarter scores: 1st 15-15, 2nd 29-29, 3rd 45-38
