The Southern United fullback will line up for her team’s final national league game in Auckland today.
Then the 21-year-old will rush back to Dunedin and switch the football kit for a cap and gown to graduate with a bachelor of sport and exercise science on Wednesday.
But football was at the front of her mind for now as Southern, searching for back-to-back wins over Auckland teams, take on Northern Rovers.
Power knew Southern had been "up and down" with its results this season but is confident her team can build on the back of last weekend’s win over top-of-the-table Eastern Suburbs.
"I think kind of just picking up where we left off against Suburbs," Power said.
"There were definitely things we could still have done better and I know that we can certainly ramp it up another level and I’m sure we’re all really excited to do that."
Southern is tied for fourth place with Canterbury.
Canterbury might have had a slight goal differential advantage but Southern "don’t have much to lose at this point" and would hunt for three points to secure the spot.
"I think it would be a really big achievement.
"It would also make us the best regional team as well, which would be awesome."
The national league comprises four regional teams and four Auckland teams that also play club football together, giving those teams a slight edge.
Southern and other regional teams were stacked with depth and talent "on paper" but just needed more pre-season time together, Power said.
But she was proud of her, and the team’s, form this season and the progression over the past three seasons, including winning the Covid-adapted South Central Series title last year.
"Just this year, it was a really short time we had together leading up to the national league season but I think Kris [Ridley] and Graeme [Smaill] ... have been awesome and us girls have just really clicked."
Power, whose family lives in Mangawhai, will stay in Dunedin next year to complete a postgraduate diploma in strength and conditioning at Otago Polytechnic and play for Southern.
