The Southern Steel bounced back from last week's disappointing loss with a commanding 69-60 victory over the Stars at ILT Stadium Southland on Saturday night.

After losing their opening round match by 13 goals, the Steel delivered a complete performance that delighted the home crowd and showed they're serious contenders this season.

The match started evenly, with the Stars using their tall shooting combination of Amelia Walmsley and Martina Salmon to take a 19-15 first quarter lead. But everything changed in the second quarter when defender Carys Stythe sparked a Steel revival that completely turned the game around.

The Steel opened the second quarter with four straight goals to level the scores, then unleashed a devastating 21-7 run that gave them a 36-26 halftime lead. The home side's defensive pressure was relentless, with Stythe leading the charge and forcing the Stars into uncharacteristic errors.

"I couldn't single out one player even if I tried. It was such a team effort – on the court and the bench, everyone contributed. We were really united on both attack and defence so I'm happy," head coach Wendy Frew said after the match.

Shooter Aliyah Dunn was outstanding under the Steel hoop, finishing with 54 goals from 56 attempts. Her positioning and reliability gave the Steel a crucial advantage, while Georgia Heffernan provided excellent support with her playmaking abilities.

The Stars tried to mount a comeback in the second half, getting within four goals in both the third and fourth quarters. But the Steel held their nerve, with midcourter Kimiora Poi directing the attack efficiently and the defence staying strong when it mattered most.

A dramatic finish saw the Stars close within striking distance using the super shot, but Heffernan nailed a two-pointer on the final buzzer to seal the victory and deny the visitors a bonus point.

"On attack we were really smart in that knew they would be hunting and we faked them out a bit. On d we defended the two-point shot really well as Martina is a real threat in there," Frew explained.

The coach was particularly pleased with how her team implemented their game plan after a week of intensive preparation.

"We did a lot of work during the week on how to combat them and I really think our game plan came to life which is pretty cool when you put so much work in," she said.

"When you lose by 13 in round one doubt can creep in and it is hard not to go down into the pit but the girls climbed out of it and I'm so proud they got that win tonight."

The victory puts the Steel back on track after their opening round setback and shows they have the resilience to compete with the competition's best teams.

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