Goal-to-goal play in the opening quarter of tonight's clash suggested another nail-biting game was on the cards, as both sides showcased promising talent.
Tenacious Tactix defender Temalisi Fakahokotau was quick to snatch every rebound she could get from Stars shooting duo Ellen Halpenny and Maia Wilson.
But Wilson's accurate performance saw the Stars slowly extend their narrow 14-12 first quarter lead to four points at halftime.
Meanwhile, the Stars English import Ama Agbeze made her presence felt in the Tactix shooting circle as Kate Beveridge and Brooke Leaver fought for space.
As the Stars built on their lead, the Tactix scrambled to make a few mid-quarter positional changes, bringing tall shooter Bird onto the court in place of Leaver.
Bird's height advantage gave the Tactix an instant boost as they clawed their way back into the match.
Although the Stars held tightly to their slim lead, the Tactix miraculously reeled off five straight goals, tying up the scoreboard in the final minutes of the game - just in time to score the winning goal with 11 seconds left.
With only four days to rest, the Stars will tip off round four on Sunday when they face the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic at Auckland's Pulman Arena.