The South Island champion beat Ashburton College 44-27 in a round-robin match at the New Zealand secondary schools championships in Rotorua yesterday morning to qualify in the top half of the draw.
The Dunedin team suffered a setback in its first top-eight round-robin game with a 52-36 loss to Epsom Girls' Grammar School in the evening.
But St Hilda's finished 11th last year and coach Lana Morrison is thrilled her side is still in contention
``I think we have more to give,'' Morrison said shortly after her side's win against Ashburton.
Ashburton put up six more attempts in the first quarter and led 12-11 at the first break. But Morrison felt the game was ``going to swing'' and so it proved.
``We made a couple of wee tweaks and then we were off, really,'' she said.
St Hilda's won the next quarter 8-5 to take a 19-17 lead at halftime.
But the St Hilda's players really asserted themselves in the third quarter, outscoring their opponents 14-4 and eventually powering to a comfortable 17-goal win.
Shooter Georgia Heffernan is battling a thigh sprain but impressed again with 32 goals from 40 attempts.
``She is nursing quite a nasty injury and is playing remarkably well. She's as tough as guts.''
Defender Mariah Nelson, who picked up an ankle injury in the final quarter of the game and did not play in the evening, had a strong match in combination with Mara McCurdy.
``It was the first time they really connected in the circle and really closed down some ball.''
That allowed St Hilda's to put pressure further up court and it was through excellent defence it was able to pull away and beat Ashburton.
Morrison said her side needed to be more clinical with the turnover ball it secured, though.
''We get a lot of turnover ball but we've got to have the composure to take it to goal.
''We are getting better at it but if we can just nail it, then you know,'' she said trailing off.
The result against Epsom means St Hilda's will probably need to beat both Howick College and Waikato Diocesan School to make the top four.
