But this time it withstood the fightback.
The Pulse successfully defended its ANZ Premiership title in Invercargill last night.
A 17-7 lead to start the game proved key as it won 43-31.
It was not a dissimilar position to two years ago, when the Pulse crumbled after holding a 11-goal lead over the Southern Steel.
Last night, it showed a different resolve.
When the Tactix fired back in the second half, pulling the score back to 32-27 with 10 minutes left, the Pulse dug in.
It conceded just four more goals, while Aliyah Dunn and Ameliaranne Ekenasio clincially restored the double-digit lead at the other end.
But it was the suffocating defence that was crucial for the Pulse.
It constantly had the Tactix under pressure, picking off passes and restricting it to just 36 goals.
Wing attack Maddy Gordon was key there, as were the long arms of goal keep Kelly Jury.
Cntre Kimiora Poi was equally energetic for the Tactix, but it was not enough to overcome the pressure the Pulse brought from all over.
Pulse runs bookended the first quarter.
It scored the first four goals, alongside the last six of the period.
Intercepts to Jury and Gordon propelled it to a fantastic start.
However, the Tactix worked its way back.
Poi proved disruptive and her energy won the Tactix ball to mount a comeback, but Ellie Bird missed the shot that would have tied the score at 5-5.
It was the closest the Tactix managed to get.
The Pulse put its foot down, again claiming two turnovers, and Dunn put them through to hoop to lead 12-6 at the break.
That run continued from the restart.
The Pulse defence continued to smother the Tactix, forcing the first centre pass over the sideline, before Gordon stole the next one.
When Jury picked off a pass not long after, the Pulse made it 17-7 to extend the lead to double digits early in the quarter.
The Tactix made its own mini-runs following that, but the Pulse hit back, Ekenasio's goal on halftime restoring the margin at 23-13.
But the Tactix did not fold.
It began to look after possession better and reduced the deficit to six, before Dunn scored on three-quarter time to make it 31-24.
Again the Tactix hit back but, at 32-27, it made a handful of mistakes to prevent it getting any closer.
The Pulse came up with a handful of intercepts and was accurate on attack to pull away to victory.
In the curtain-raiser, featuring players from the Southern Steel, Southern Blast and southern men's teams, the Blue Cods beat the Pink Panthers 36-28.
