The men grafted out a 3-2 win against the Tridents and Mezzy Surridge banged in a hat-trick to help her side edge the Tridents 4-3.
The women’s game delivered more excitement.
Surridge was in formidable touch.
She scored two outstanding field goals and added a field conversion to complete a wonderful performance.
The home team trailed 2-1 until Surridge netted an equaliser midway through the third period.
She rounded up a deflection from a penalty corner, took the ball to the left of the post and swung the ball high into the corner of the near post.
It was some strike.
Then, with the final seconds of the quarter slipping away, she zig-zagged her way through heavy traffic on a 20m run to the left of the post.
The ball control was precise but the shot was even better. She scooped it from left to right and found the corner.
That gave her the opportunity to add a field conversion. She took the goalie wide and slapped the ball from the right-hand side into the left corner.
Coach Aaron Ford was thrilled with the win and impressed by his star striker.
"I’m absolutely rapt," he said.
"We made a change from the first half to the second half.
"I wanted them to play to the game plan and be aggressive without the ball, so I’m looking forward to reviewing this one.
"[Surridge] was great. She has not had a whole lot of hockey this year since the Nations Cup, having had shoulder surgery.
"So it’s good for her to find the back of the net."
The Alpiners found themselves trailing 2-0 following a defensive blunder. Defender Emily Baker passed the ball across the goal and Holly Pearson pounced and deflected it in.
She converted the field goal, but moments later, Isabella Ambrosius slapped in a stunning reverse stick.
Ambrosius could not convert the field goal opportunity and the Alpiners went into halftime trailing 2-1.
Surridge scored her hat-trick in the third quarter, and the home team controlled possession in the final period to close out the win.
In the other women’s match on Saturday, the Falcons beat the Mavericks 2-0.
Alpiners men’s coach Blair Tarrant was greeted with a guard of honour. The former Black Sticks captain retired last week after 15 years in the black kit.
He amassed 272 games and scored 10 goals for his country. A group of boys from his old school — Otago Boys’ — performed a haka in his honour.
The Tridents opened the scoring from a penalty corner.
But Finn Ward made a nice drive into the circle. His shot was parried as far as Sam Lane, who, in turn, had his shot deflected. But George Baker was there to finish it off.
He added the field conversion to give the home team the lead.
Trident captain Liam Mortimer scored his second goal late in the second quarter to level the score.
Sam Lane slapped in a penalty stroke midway through the third quarter to get the Alpiners back in front. It proved to be the winner for the defending champions.
In the other men’s game, the Mavericks beat the Falcons 6-4.
Premier Hockey League
The scores
Women:
Alpiners 4
Mezzy Surridge 3, Isabella Ambrosius goals
Tridents 3
Holly Pearson 2, Lucy Bannatyne goals
Men:
Alpiners 3
George Baker 2, Sam Lane goals
Tridents 2
Liam Mortimer 2 goals
