Central Pulse goal shoot Irene van Dyk feels the pressure from Mainland Tactix defender Jess Moulds during last night's championship netball match at the PG Arena, Napier. Photo/Paul Taylor
That is the thing with any team sports - it's all about a perception of belonging and belief.
Individuals must find cohesiveness and quickly otherwise not only will the game run away from them but also the season.
The Haier Central Pulse initially appeared to have that sense of affinity last night while the Mainland Tactix often looked like a lost tribe desperately trying to find a modicum of kinship just to make it through the night in Napier.
But appearances are just that - deceptive and can in the blink of an eye become a crucial weapon in lulling the opposition into a false sense of security.
To use a cliche, it isn't how you start but how you finish that matters in the end.
The Katrina Grant-captained Pulse last night found that out to their detriment when they succumbed 55-53 to the Tactix in round four of the ANZ Championship netball match at the Pettigrew-Green Arena in Taradale.
The 85 per cent-capacity arena came armed with swizzle sticks to amp up their home franchise but would have probably gone home a little disappointed with the result.
One had to ask, how did the Pulse lose a game they were leading by six goals when the teams went into the changing sheds?
Easily, actually, because the visitors wanted the win more badly than the hosts.
The Leigh Gibbs and Julie Seymour-coached Southerners collected their first points of the season after the latter had reportedly questioned the constitution of the squad.
At such times the form book goes out of the window. Sitting at the bottom of the table means there's nothing to lose.
If anything, it has a tendency to spur the bottom dwellers into finding something they didn't think they possessed - faith, that is, but now they'll take that sense of conviction in doses to their next game.
"I think our problem at the moment, in all games, is that we become a little complacent when we're in the lead," Pulse midcourter Camilla Lees said not long after warming down.
"Instead of building on the lead, we let them come back so I think we could all feel that momentum change and that's when we kind of needed to change the gear to push on."
Coach Robyn Broughton's attempt to fiddle with the midcourt proved to be the beginning of the loss of ascendancy as starting centre Joline Henry made way for wing attack Lees to centre while Henry shifted to wing defence in the last quarter.
The injection of Katarina Cooper to wing attack, cold off the bench, contributed to a rash of unforced errors.
"That change in the midcourt was an attempt to change the momentum to try something new ... but obviously it didn't work so we're absolutely gutted," Lees explained as the Pulse's abysmal record here continues.
They have only beaten the Southern Steel in Napier in 2012, having lost to the Waikato/BOP Magic, the Thunderbirds and one other team previously.
The 24-year-old said the Pulse came into the game with oodles of confidence in not just beating the last-placed franchise but dealing to them convincingly.
"Perhaps we were guilty of thinking of the outcome and the process [before getting the job done]."
She felt the defeat would give the Pulse a boot up the bum, prompting them to learn and grow as a unit.
However, Lees lauded the Bay crowd for their rousing welcome and support but disappointed they couldn't return the favour with a win.
Tactic wing defence Hayley Saunders took a few king hits from Cooper when the knuckle dusters came out in the court of contention in the final quarter.
"I don't shy away from confrontations and Kati [Cooper] doesn't either so that's what the sport's come to now and it's good to have that hustle/bustle.
"I guess when you're getting pushed around a little bit you know you've got into someone's head. When you can feel both their hands pushing you in the back it's a good place to be."
Just as goal defence Zoe Walker had endured excruciating pain when her calves started cramping up, Saunders absorbed the intensity with an emotion only winners are privy to.
"It's [winning] a feeling that we haven't felt in a while and I tell you what, it's so much better than the losses we've been feeling in the last few weeks," said the 24-year-old midcourter.
"We feel like we're on top of the world and that's exactly how I feel right now."
Saunders said they had a winning feeling throughout the week and when they stepped on to PG Arena those vibes were reinforced.
"We were just sick of feeling like crap so that was the difference.
"We had a lot of tough love from our management and from each other this week so we came to this [game] thinking it's all or nothing."
At halftime it came as a rude shock to the Tactix that they were down by six goals.
"It's a funny thing but when you execute your game plan it actually works," she said, adding the coaches impressed on them the significance of "one ball at a time".
Oddly enough spontaneity had shut shop on the Tactix at one stage but ill winds took hold and the Pulse found the doors slamming on their faces.
Pulse shooters Irene van Dyk and Donna Wilkins shot 93% and 88%, respectively, while Tactix's Mwai Kumwenda carded 90% but captain Anna Thompson struggled with 53%.
Score (Pulse first): Q1 14-14, Q2 15-9 (29-23), Q3 11-18 (40-43), Q4 13-14 (53-55).