Off the back of a stunning start to the ANZ Premiership season, the Central Pulse defeated the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 43-37 in a tightly contested clash at Rotorua's Energy Events Centre.
It was far from an easy win for the Wellington-based side which struggled to find its usual rhythm and often played into the hands of the much improved Magic.
Pulse captain Katrina Rore (nee Grant) admitted it was a tough match-up for her young squad but was pleased with their overall performance.
"Very defensive game, very back-and-forward, I think both teams made each other work really hard and both really wanted the win," Rore said.
"No matter what, it was always going to be tough for them down there but they stood up strong.