Brooke Peris has pounced twice to edge the Hockeyroos past the Black Sticks 2-1 in the second game of their four-match Trans-Tasman Series in Auckland.
Captaining the Australian women's hockey team in her 184th international, Peris scored in the first quarter and again in the last, her goal three minutes from fulltime deciding the outcome after Olivia Shannon had drawn the home side level in the 39th minute.
Hockeyroos coach Katrina Powell went in with the same 18 players who drew 2-2 in the opening match of the series on Tuesday, with Aleisha Power starting in goal in place of Jocelyn Bartram.
Forced to come from behind in game one, the Hockeyroos found themselves ahead in the 13th minute on Thursday night's clash.
A low, hard drag flick from Maddy Fitzpatrick from a penalty corner was blocked by goalkeeper Kirsten Nation and Peris was perfectly positioned to produce a world-class first-time strike.
Play was delayed momentarily in the second quarter when Rosie Malone was struck in the wrist by a firmly-hit ball at close range, the midfielder in visible discomfort as she came from the field and she played no further part in the match.
A piece of individual brilliance inside the attacking circle from Shannon in the 39th minute locked the scores up at 1-1.
But it was the Hockeyroos who finished the game stronger and appeared the more likely to snatch a winner.
Their reward came in the 57th minute when they took the ball from one side of the field to the other before Jane Claxton's ball into the circle bobbled off the stick of Black Sticks captain Megan Hull and bounced past teammate Ani Roberts allowing Peris to swoop and smash the ball home.
Match 3 of the Trans-Tasman Series is on Saturday at 1.35pm AEST.
