They beat North Harbour Hibiscus 39-13 at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday and will meet Northland in an away semifinal this weekend.
Winger Jamie Church lifted her try tally to 10 this season, scoring a hat-trick to help the Spirit on their way against Harbour.
"Outstanding, isn’t she," Spirit coach Craig Sneddon said.
"That’s the thing: we’ve just got to give her the ball more.
"She just needs a one-on-one and she’ll make something happen — she’s a pretty special talent."
Sneddon was pleased with his whole squad’s effort to get Otago through.
They were outstanding defensively across the park, making over 100 tackles in the first half, and pressuring the Hibiscus, who had most of the early possession.
"I think to keep them to 13 points with the amount of ball they had, we’re happy with that."
Cheyenne Cunningham got the Spirit under way.
She picked up a ball that had been knocked down by a Hibiscus player 5m out and scampered across the line to lead 7-0.
Hibiscus first five Grace Freeman returned fire, slotting a penalty to get the visitors on the board.
Spirit flanker Leah Miles was in the thick of everything defensively.
That effort rippled across the Spirit with her team putting on a brick wall the Hibiscus struggled to get through.
Church added her first try of the day with a piece of individual brilliance.
She picked the ball up on halfway and spotted a gap down her wing, finishing off her team’s second try of the afternoon.
Their defensive effort was put to the test again — and withstood every time.
The Hibiscus strung together long phases, and had lots of ball in the first half, but could not break through.
It took the Spirit being penalised for being offside for Freeman to bang over another to be rewarded.
But the Spirit hit back almost immediately.
Hume went on a dazzling run, taking the ball out wide and holding it up to look for Church on the wing.
It sucked the Hibiscus defenders out to cover Church, leaving Hume to finish it off herself, complete with her trademark fin up, to give the Spirit a 19-16 lead at halftime.
The Hibiscus finally made something of their opportunities when centre Moana Courtenay bumped off two defenders to score in the corner.
Freeman added the extras and her side trailed by seven.
But that was the only joy for the Hibiscus in the second half after the Spirit lifted their intent.
Church added her second before Keely Hill put her in the right space to do it all again.
Hill — taken out in a questionable tackle after her offload — sped away down the left, dishing to Church who yet again finished it off.
Hume added another, before she hobbled from the field, and Miles scored as well, giving the Spirit a comfortable 39-13 win.
They head north this Saturday to take on Northland in their semifinal.
A minute’s silence was held before the game in remembrance of former Otago president Graeme Renton and former Otago chairman Ron Palenski, who died recently.
Farah Palmer Cup
The scores
Spirit 39
Jamie Church 3, Sheree Hume 2, Cheyenne Cunningham, Leah Miles tries; Georgia Cormick 2 con.
Hibiscus 13
Moana Courtenay try; Grace Freeman con, 2 pen.
Halftime: Otago Spirit 19-6.
