The Kiwi Ferns have been edged 10-8 in a defensive arm-wrestle against Australia in their Rugby League World Cup group match at York.
The result means New Zealand finish runners-up in Group B and will face England in the semi-finals, while Australia advance to play Papua New Guinea.
The NZ women's tenacious defence had the Jillaroos attack rattled throughout, forcing a slew of uncharacteristic errors and making several trysaving plays against their highly vaunted rivals, who are favourites to defend their World Cup crown.
But the Kiwi Ferns attack struggled to generate genuine opportunities, as the Australians controlled territory in the latter stages of the second half to find the try they needed - albeit off a pass that seemed suspiciously forward.
They'll also rue a missed conversion from essentially dead in front of the posts by Brianna Clark off their first try of the game, which would have tied the scores on a day when points were at a premium.
Kiwi Ferns powerhouse Amber Hall was a force at both ends of the field, awarded Player of the Match in a decision that spoke volumes about the nature of the contest.
The only two nations to have won the title since 2000, the trans-Tasman rivals seem destined to meet again in the final.
After withstanding early pressure, the NZ defence finally cracked in the 20th minute, with Tarryn Aicken spinning out of a tackle and wrangling her way over next to the posts from close range.
Ten minutes later, the Kiwi Ferns responded. Star half Raecene McGrgeor laid on a pinpoint grubber that bounced perfectly for Apii Nicholls to pounce on next to the uprights.
Clark's conversion from almost directly right in front bounced off the uprights, leaving the score at 6-4 to the Australians at halftime.
In the 55th minute, the New Zealanders grabbed their first lead of the game, with some slick and speedy wide passing putting Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly over in the corner.
The Jillaroos ramped up their defensive intensity and it paid off, setting the stage for Julia Robinson to cross out wide, courtesy of a pass that seemed to float forward.
Superb scrambling tryline defence by the New Zealanders helped keep their deficit to just two points into the final 10 minutes, but they couldn't find the late blow they needed to claim what would have been a deserved win.
The Kiwi Ferns have now lost four straight games against the Australians, with their last win over their rivals in 2016.
New Zealand 8 (Apii Nicholls, Stephens-Daly tries) Australia 10 (Aiken, Robinson tries; Ali Brigginshaw goal)
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