Bristol Bears defeated Harlequins 31-26 in the Premier 15s on Saturday in an epic fight for fourth place.
The victory means Bristol stay in the final play-off place and go four points clear of Quins with four games to go.
The win was secured by a 75th minute Sarah Bern try. The Bristol prop said: “You see when the girls are cheering what it meant to them.”
Elsewhere, Exeter Chiefs return to the top of the league with a 52-14 win over Sale Sharks.
The Chiefs managed to slay the northern side with an eight-try performance.
Gloucester, meanwhile, maintained second place with a 50-12 victory over Worcester.
Defending champions Saracens defeated DMP Sharks 73-0 with an impressive 13-try outing, and Wasps fell to a 70-5 loss to Loughborough Lightning.
In Bristol, Rownita Marston and Lark Davies scored for the home side but Quins had a 19-14 lead at half-time thanks to three tries.
Amy Cokayne, making her 50th appearance for Quins, Heather Cowell and Beth Wilcock all scored for the London club in the first 40.
Davies levelled the score two minutes into the second half and Marston quickly added another. The board was tied once more with Emily Chancellor dotting down for Quins but Bern’s try managed to put Bristol over the line.
“This is a result of every single bit that everyone in the squad has put in,” she said.
