Central Pulse have prevailed in a hard-fought final to claim their first ANZ Premiership netball title, beating the Northern Stars 52-48 in Porirua.
The Wellington-based side led from wire to wire, despite a valiant effort from the heavy underdog Aucklanders.
The win rounds out a dominant season for the Pulse, who emphatically erased the memories of last year's shock final capitulation to the Southern Steel.
"We know what the past has been and we've learnt from those experiences," Pulse captain Katrina Rore said afterwards. "We just wanted to enjoy the moment.
"We love playing with each other and this is for each an every one of us who worked hard for the last 28 weeks."
Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie echoed those sentiments.
"I'm super-proud of the group," said McCausland-Durie. "I thought we finished strong and pushed through a lot of the challenges.
"I'm just so proud of them - proud for our region and proud for our franchise."
In a contest dominated by defence, goalkeep Sulu Fitzpatrick led the way for the Pulse, snaring four turnovers and five deflections.
At the the other end, retiring Stars captain Leanna de Bruin put on a farewell display to be proud of, but wasn't able to slow Pulse sharpshooter Aliyah Dunn.
Dunn sank a staggering 40 of her 43 attempts on goal in a masterful display, while all three of her shooting counterparts struggled for consistency.
Leading 27-25 at halftime, the Pulse ramped up the pressure defensively to pull away at the end of the third quarter, riding Dunn's hot hand through the final stanza to spark scenes of celebration at the Te Rauparaha Arena.
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