Nothing could separate the University Huskies and Kings United at the McMillan Centre on Saturday.
The game ended scoreless, though the Huskies won the shoot-out.
All teams were weary after midweek matches.
The Huskies side made wave after wave of attack, only to fall short in the attacking third due to the stern central defence of the Kings women.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock in the first half.
University started the second half as it finished the first as Lucy Simpson showed off her passing prowess in the midfield for the students, commanding both ball and space and leaving Kings United scrambling at times.
And scramble the side did — Hayley Maunder protected her goal mouth well, keeping a clean sheet and surviving a bucketful of defensive penalty corners and a stroke. Neither team was able to get over the line in regular time, with the match locked up 0-0 at full time.
Paige Mackie shook the shoot-out monkey from her back and sealed the deal for Varsity in another sudden-death shoot out.
Momona A had a convincing 5-0 win over Taieri after leading 2-0 at the break.
The match was relatively even, but Momona was more ruthless in front of goal.
Angelique Peyroux, with two goals, Claudia Peyroux, Nicole Strawbridge and Neve McLean scored the goals for Momona.
The City Highlanders had a 10-1 win over the University Stingrays.
Izzy Driscoll kept the Stingrays in the hunt in the first half, and the side was down 4-1 at the break. But the Highlanders went on attack in the second half and the score blew out.
Olivia Allan bagged a hat trick while Caitlin Blakely, Sarah Thomas and Tegan Buchanan all nabbed doubles and Bayley Anderson also scored.
Aleisha Chalmers kept City honest by scoring for University.
Men
Albany had a narrow 1-0 win over the Taieri Tuataras.
Taieri seemed to have the majority of the ball, but could not find space against Albany.
Promising wing halves Chris Hill and Tom Meder were on the end of some slick manoeuvres for Taieri, but it had no joy in the attacking circle.
Angus Cotton was able to break the deadlock in the second quarter for Albany, and there the match stood.
The second half required a big defensive effort from Albany and the side’s Hamish Van Dyk did not falter as he was continually called upon, keeping his team on the right side of the result.
In the other men’s game, Kings United beat the University Panthers 7-1 after leading 5-1 at the break.
Dylan Thomas notched a hat trick, Craig Turner bagged two goals and Harry Mason and Rory McLean also got on the score sheet for Kings.
Max Noller slotted a consolation goal for the Panthers.
University Whales had the bye.
- Rachel Lecky
