It was beaten 50-46 by the Sunshine Coast Lightning at the Edgar Centre last night in the first of two pre-season matches between the sides.
It was a game of runs, each team fighting back whenever the other opened a gap.
However, it was the Lightning that had the last one.
It got out to a four goal lead in the final minutes, leaving the Steel no time to respond.
The result was not the main focus for the Steel, though, and coach Reinga Bloxham thought it was a good hit out.
"I thought it was good at times," she said.
"Some really good stuff and it was quite nice to have a hit out at that sort of pace and intensity, and really good to get everyone out on the court.
"Performance-wise not probably where I expect us to be.
"We did some really good stuff and then we had some lulls where we weren't our best.
"So it's a matter of making sure those lulls are really small and aiming for that accuracy and consistency, which we know isn't there yet but we're building."
She was glad the Steel was able to remain in touch the whole way, saying it was pleasing the way it closed the gap every time the Lightning took a lead.
It was not just the starting seven either, as the team constantly changed its line-up and remained competitive.
That included its two training partners, Georgia Heffernan and year 12 Waitaki Girls' High School pupil Taneisha Fifita.
Both slotted in well and drew praise from Bloxham.
She also made mention of goal shoot Jennifer O'Connell being strong under the post and providing some great passing angles.
Indeed, O'Connell looked good and there was more than enough to suggest she could grow into the role dominated for so long by Jhaniele Fowler-Reid.
The Steel started with what looked to be its strongest seven and immediately shot out to a 4-1 lead.
It was not able to get away, though, the Lightning bringing it back to 4-3 to stay in touch.
That set the tone for the rest of the match.
An O'Connell goal on the buzzer made it 13-13, before a younger Steel line-up took the court, showing it was more than capable of competing.
While the Lightning held a slim lead for the majority of the quarter, it never pulled away.
The Steel took the lead back five minutes from halftime, but the Lightning fought back to head to the break up 25-24.
A flurry to start the third quarter saw the Lightning shoot out to 32-27. However, this time it was the Steel's turn to come back.
It clawed back through the last five minutes of the quarter, eventually tying things back up at 33-33.
It managed yet another three goal lead early on in the fourth, but it was unable to hold as the Lightning fought back.
A late run from the Lightning, inspired by Cara Koenan, gave the visitor a lead it would not relinquish.
The two sides meet again in Invercargill tonight.
