Momona played with structure and skill but it was the tenacity and determination of the students that won the game.
Both teams seemed to be feeling their way in the first half. Varsity had some lovely passing, especially down the right, but its play was hampered by some loose trapping. Whenever it got near the Momona circle, Millie Cowan was a force to be reckoned with.
In the second half, Momona showed good patterns and structure, leading to a penalty corner which was laid off to the right and well put away by Jess Tisdell.
University responded immediately, with Rebecca Crump scoring after a fast break down the wing.
Both teams were scrambling in midfield and speeding the ball up the wings, but then putting poor passes into the middle.
Michelle Borren was everywhere for University, working nonstop on defence and attack.
The game looked like ending in a draw after a good save by University goalie Liz Gifford. But there was a flurry in the circle and Kiriana Brown tipped the ball high over the Momona goalie to win the game for the students.
In other games, Taieri beat Kings A 4-1 and City Highlanders A beat St Hilda's 2-1.
Albany cruised to an 8-0 win over University B in the opening round of the men's competition.
It was only minutes before the clinical goals began to go in and the students looked disorganised as the torrent became a flood.
For Albany, it seemed the pass was always on. Veteran Dave Ross directed the show and scored a beautiful reverse-stick goal.
Haughton Gilbert scored a hat trick, including a deft left flick from a penalty corner.
The students improved in the last quarter and Will Fairgraw showed some impressive dynamism with the ball, but they never really looked like scoring.
Kings A beat City Highlanders A 3-0, and University A beat Tuataras 13-0.
- Shirley Gillett
