The New Zealand Volley Ferns proved themselves in the third Test of the five-game series against the Volleyroos Women’s side in Auckland.
Although the result didn't quite go their way, they took the game to five sets and gave the Aussies a big scare.
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Australia won 12-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-22, 7-15 to take the trans-Tasman series on Wednesday evening at Carmel College on Auckland's North Shore with two matches remaining.
The visitors made a rapid start to the match at Carmel College, moving out to seven-point advantage midway through the opening set. They didn’t let up, pressing home that edge - Caitlin Tipping again featuring strongly for the visitors – as they claimed the opening frame 25-12.
The second set was a tighter contest in the early going, both teams trading points and timeouts to 17-17. The Kiwis took control when it mattered, taking their first set of the series via some strong serving from Italia Tiatia and Anilise Fitzi, the Hungary-based middle influential at the net in attack and defence.
The Australian’s rebounded quickly in the third, jumping out to a 6-1 advantage and maintaining that buffer through the remainder of the set, the powerful Tipping again key in attack, to take it 25-16.
The fourth set was again close with both teams combining for some outstanding rallies. Tiatia’s hitting and some solid backcourt defense featured as well as the Volley Ferns took an 11-7 advantage.
The Kiwis held maintained their lead to 18-12 through more impressive backcourt work from libero Anaya Cole, a couple of big Fitzi blocks and several huge Tiatia swings and the home side closed it out at 25-22 to force the decider.
Australia created a 10-5 lead in the final frame, fuelled by some strong hitting and serving - Tipping again a regular contributor - before closing the match and the series out at 15-7.
For New Zealand captain Petra Manderson there were positives from the match despite the loss.
"Massive improvement form yesterday. And some of the energy and feeling on court in those sets that we won we were playing our volleyball and we're really happy with that," said Manderson as the Volley Ferns played their first games at home since 2019.
"We had that fight we talked about wanting it today and after the first two games coming away a bit frustrated so we came in hungry for this one I'm really proud of what we put there."
Looking ahead at the remaining two games, Manderson wants even more from her players.
"We still want to take these next two games and not let them sweep it. It's massive to play these kinds of games and having the experience internationally."
Game four is at the Manurewa Netball Centre Thursday 15 August at 7pm,