The Lower South East Hockey Association hosted the Division 1 women’s grand final rematch was played on the weekend, with both Redbacks and West looking for their first win of the season and bragging rights.
The first quarter began with momentum going all Redbacks’ way.
Zara Blackwell scored first through a slap hitting bottom right after intercepting a clearing ball.
Minutes later Redbacks’ Anna Mitchell found herself with the ball and time in the D.
Unfortunately for West, Mitchell was too skilled to let this opportunity slip, slotting the ball in the top right corner.
Following the quick surge from Redbacks, the game began to settle.
After numerous attempts at goal from both teams, it was West who found the back of the net in the second half.
Several short corner attempts eventually led to Gemma Ballintyne hitting the ball directly to the bottom right corner.
Despite West’s newfound motivation, Redbacks still would not back down.
Wanting to put the game to rest, Angela Kain took matters into her own hands and scored through a short corner hit.
Despite Redbacks leading 3-1 coming into the pointy end of the game, West continued to surge to goal.
Mia Kleinig scored early in the fourth, slapping the ball directly off a Dana Jones cross.
The game’s intensity rose to another level, Redbacks trying to hold on and West doing its best to get sight of the goal.
Fortunately for Redbacks they were able to run the clock down and win the game 3-2.
In the other Div 1 women’s match it was a very undermanned Naracoorte side that ran into a Tigers team high on confidence after a strong win against West in round 1.
Tigers started in style, with Brooke Marcus getting on the scoreboard within the first couple of minutes.
Juniors Clare Hopgood and Lily McIntosh combined beautifully as Hopgood drew all the defenders, crossing for McIntosh to calmly slot home goal number two, and then Kaitlyn Nisbet got on the end of a cross ball and slotted it home with a diving goal to make it 3-nil at quarter time.
The second quarter was a lot more even with Naracoorte stemming the flow, with Sarah Fry and Sarah Hamilton combining to hold Tigers to only one goal through Kaela McKee.
The third quarter was also tight, despite Tigers having a lot of the possession they only managed one goal, thanks to dogged defending and incredible saves by keeper Brittany Chaston, who was brilliant all game.
But in the final quarter the flood gates opened somewhat with the dominant Morgan Cooper completing a hattrick and McIntosh and Marcus earning themselves a second each, for a final score 9-0.
Naracoorte battled extremely hard with no bench in warm conditions and showed grit under all sorts of pressure by Tigers.
Tigers will hope to continue their good form next week against a new look Strikers in what should be an intriguing tussle.
