The Riversdale Pinkies have kept the Eastern Southland flag flying high at Hockey Southland final’s day winning the division two women’s title.
The women in pink were the only Eastern side to win a senior final, beating Southern Masters 4-2 at the Invercargill turf on Saturday.
In other finals, Eastern United Green went down 4-1 to Phoenix Orange in men’s division one, Riversdale lost 5-3 in women’s division one and in the division two men’s match-up Phoenix won the penalty goal shootout against the Eastern United Red team after they were 2-2 at fulltime.
Pinkies quickly replied with a field goal by Abby Moseby.
Half way through the second quarter a Lynne Grant field goal put the Pinkies ahead.
Within minutes of the second half starting, Southern struck again scoring from a penalty and the score was tied 2-2.
Grant then quickly scored another field goal.
As the hooter scored for the end of the quarter, Maria Hansen found the back of the net from a penalty corner shot.
In the last quarter, both teams attacked hard but Southern was not able to overcome the Pinkies’ two-goal lead.
Pinkies captain Sarah Wiegersma said she was pleased with the way the team played.
"Everyone stepped up and gave everything right to the last seconds of the game."
The competition had been close this season.
"We knew it was going to be hard and it was. It was a good even game."
She felt the Pinkies were in control of the game at 2-1 up.
"She is the youngest in our team by a long, long way and she is there helping direct us from the back which is really good and what a goalie is supposed to do."
Hansen and Beth Gray in the halves also played well.
• In the division two men’s final, Phoenix struck first in the second quarter from a penalty corner to be ahead 1-0 at halftime.
Angus McFadzien scored for Eastern United towards the end of the third quarter.
Two minutes into the last quarter Eastern’s Angus Hamilton scored to take the lead but Phoenix replied not long after to draw the game.
In the penalty goal shootout, Eastern’s goalkeeper Theo Dynes, 15, made some excellent saves but Eastern were not able to score enough goals to win.
• In the division one women’s final, Riversdale were on the back foot at the start with Southern 3-0 ahead after the first quarter.
Despite a never-say-die attitude the Riverside side was down 5-1 at halftime, youngster Sara Aynsley, scoring the goal.
Riversdale coach Vince Aynsley’s cunning plan to take goalkeeper Tessa Hewlett off the field at halftime, to give the team an extra player up front, almost worked.
In the third quarter, Sonya Stewart scored a field goal and a penalty corner goal to close the gap.
While Southern barely ventured out of their half in the last quarter, they absorbed the pressure to prevail.
• In the division one men’s match-up, Phoenix had control of the first two quarters to be up 3-0 at halftime.
Eastern’s William Dickey scored the team’s only goal in the fourth quarter.
In the division 3 mixed U16 final played at Gore on Sunday, Eastern Red beat Southern Blue 3-1.
