Dame Noeline Taurua might have said winning was not the Silver Ferns' sole focus at the Quad Series, but a losing habit her side have picked up could eventually prove costly.
New Zealand squandered an eight-goal lead to drop their third straight test to England this morning, going down to the hosts 49-46 at London's Copper Box Arena.
Defeat consigned the Silver Ferns to the Quad Series' third-place playoff where they will play South Africa, the tournament's other winless side after two games.
That match will come after the teams meet in the final round of pool play on Wednesday morning, while England and Australia prepare to face off in the final.
But more importantly for Taurua's side, they now have six months to figure out a way to get the better of the Roses before the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
New Zealand and England will clash in pool play at the tournament with the loser of that match likely to face Australia in the semifinals.
After copping what Taurua described as "a hiding" against the Diamonds on Sunday morning, finding themselves on that difficult path in Birmingham could leave the Ferns in danger of missing out on the medals for a second straight Games.
The coach at least saw improvements during her charges' second Quad Series setback, having said before the tournament that positive results this week were not her only aim.
"It was much more solid today in regard to our overall strategy," Taurua said, reflecting on the Ferns' 14-goal loss to Australia in the opener.
"It was definitely an improvement from [Sunday] but we, once again, went away from our structures. As a group, there's still learnings for us there, particularly when it comes to weathering the storm."
That storm came yesterday during the second quarter, after the Ferns had established an eight-goal advantage.
Taurua had again shuffled her options, with Claire Kersten and Gina Crampton earning midcourt starts, and that experienced pair provided early thrust and accuracy.
New Zealand grew in confidence into the second quarter as they turned in a much-improved showing on attack, with shooting combination Maia Wilson and Tiana Metuarau both beginning well.
Some greater defensive pressure lead to more turnovers as the Ferns took a 16-10 lead into the first break, extending that edge to eight midway through the second.
But the injection of Jade Clarke at centre soon changed England's fortunes as the spark she provided led the Roses on a seven-goal unanswered streak, leaving the sides locked at 25-25 at halftime.
Wilson led all shooters in making 22 goals from 24 attempts in the first half, but a well-drilled England continued their run in the third quarter as the Ferns made errors at crucial times, heading into the last turn trailing 39-36.
A 5-0 run to begin the fourth provided the Roses with a margin they wouldn't squander, though New Zealand did fight back to provide the hosts with some nervy moments.
All 12 players saw court time during the match as Taurua continued her to assess the selections options for her Commonwealth Games squad.
But having also squandered a 10-goal lead to England while losing the Taini Jamison Trophy decider in September, reversing that worrying trend will be vital before Birmingham, with second-half composure sure to be a focus in the coming days.
"We've got South Africa next and, again, it's about how we can improve," Taurua said. "We can take some positives out of this game and look to be better next time."
