After a dominant win last week, the side was forced to grind down its opponent and pull away to victory against a strong Northern Mystics outfit in Auckland last night.
The 74-67 victory was anything but convincing and it took a flurry of goals in the final three minutes to open up a gap in the score.
The Steel trailed at various stages, as both teams went on scoring runs and never let the other pull away.
That it was able to hang in and close out a tight game was a huge positive for the side.
It had not been a surprise for the team though, which had expected a tough challenge after coming up against an understrength side in the pre-season.
''It was something we talked about during the week,'' Steel coach Reinga Bloxham said.
''We knew that they weren't at full strength during the week in pre-season.
''So it was definitely something that we knew they would come out and disrupt our play, which they did a really good job of.
''We knew we just had to hang in their and absorb the pressure and just look after any ball that we got, it was definitely no surprise to us.''
The game had been played in heat the team was not used to, but it had coped well with it.
That had made the team's fitness all the more important, something it has put a focus on over the past few months.
''I think that's something we've been working on all pre-season is being fitter, faster, stronger.
''The fact that they could absorb all that pressure right throughout and then come out on top at the end shows that they've done all the hard work.''
Centre Shannon Francois had a big influence for the Steel with her feeding into the circle and was named most valuable player.
Jane Watson also had a big impact - the goal keep was energetic and had 15 deflections.
She had her hands full with the Mystics shooting combination of Bailey Mes and Maria Tutaia, who both proved threatening.
They both received good ball inside from wing attack Elisapeta Toeava, who also had a strong game.
Steel goal shoot Jhaniele Fowler-Reid was unable to exert her usual dominance in consistently getting position under the hoop.
Her 59 goals from 68 attempts was a low percentage for her, although six of her seven rebounds gave her second-chance opportunities.
After an even opening, a Brooke Watt deflection allowed Maria Tutaia to score off a Steel centre pass.
That took the score to 6-4, with a Mes making it 7-4 moments later.
However, the Steel pulled in the deficit, with key defensive plays from Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and Watson helping it take a 10-8 lead.
The Mystics went on another run and, after leading 14-13, finished the quarter trailing at 18-16.
Fowler-Reid had been dominant on the rebounds, getting second chances off her first five misses.
However, when Mystics' goal keep Anna Harrison finally got one against her, she helped spark a comeback.
It got the score back to 22-22, before that was extended to 25-23.
The Mystics held that lead for most of the second quarter, before the Steel levelled things up again with four minutes to go.
Fowler-Reid scored to make it 31-30, a margin the Steel would hold on to as it took a 36-35 lead into halftime.
The third quarter remained close throughout, before two Fowler-Reid goals extended the difference to four with four minutes left.
However, the Mystics pulled that back to two, leaving the score at 55-53 at the final break.
A strong start to the quarter allowed the host to tie the score, before taking a 60-58 lead.
At that point, the Steel scored three consecutive goals, before pulling away in the late stages.
-By Jeff Cheshire
