The game remained deadlock until the latter stages of the final quarter where the experienced Stacey Michelsen nailed the winner with four minutes to go.
They followed that result with another tense win, this time a 4-3 result over North Harbour.
Northland got off to the ideal start as Michelsen potted a goal inside five minutes. But North Harbour weren't about to go down quietly as they took the lead with two goals in as many minutes through Samantha Polovnikoff and Jana Teschke.
Northland tied things up just before the end of a high octane opening quarter off the stick of Renee Ashton.
The girls from the north took the ascendancy during the second quarter as goals to McBurnie and Black Stick Brooke Neal gave them a comfortable 4-2 lead heading into halftime.
The second half was far more pedestrian but tensions were lifted when North Harbour's Stephanie Elliot brought her side within one four minutes into the third quarter.
Northland held strong, however, to maintain their ideal start.
The men meanwhile face some soul-searching after a shocking start against Canterbury.
Last year's runners-up Canterbury secured an emphatic 10-1 result over Northland fuelled by a four-goal bag from striker Sam Lane.
The Cavaliers led from start to finish with Lane's efforts added to with a hat-trick from Dominic Newman while Cam Hayde, Declan Keaney and David Brydon also netted.
Nathan Fouhy's 50th minute strike ensured it wasn't a shut out for Northland.
They followed that with another heavy defeat, this time going down 7-1 to Central Mavericks.
Martin Atkinson and Dylan Thomas each scored a brace for the Mavericks, who dominated from start to finish.
Again Northland managed a solitary goal, this time from Josh Down.
Both sides play again todayas they look to pick up vital victories.
The women face the winless Central Mysticks presented with the chance to secure the top seed in Pool B while the men need a big turnaround as they shape up to face Auckland.
