The Otago Spirit goes into its final match of the round robin against Auckland in Auckland today knowing a win would secure its path into the semifinals.
The only problem is Auckland is the defending champion and has won countless national championships over the years.
But the northern side is far from invincible.
It was beaten 20-15 by Canterbury in Christchurch last Saturday, and was held to a 10-10 draw by Wellington earlier in the season.
Otago had a disappointing start to its campaign, losing to Wellington, Hawkes Bay and then Canterbury, but come back last Saturday with a resounding 69-10 win over Manawatu at Carisbrook.
Berry (21), an industrious halfback who plays for the Southern club, said the side hit its straps last week against Manawatu and hoped to continue that good form against Auckland.
"We just really clicked on attack and those changes we made really helped. Our defence had been going all right but we finally got our attack working," she said.
Last week, new coach John Kyle shifted Kelly Brazier into first five-eighth, and Carla Hohepa to centre and put Anna Richards to fullback.
They changes immediately paid dividends with Brazier and Hohepa collecting four tries apiece as the backs ran riot.
But it all came from good ball from the forwards, which was acknowledged by Berry.
"They gave us good ball and we just went from there. They have been playing well all year and once we had the ball we did well."
Berry, a third-year applied science student at the University of Otago, who hails from Masterton and then Christchurch, acknowledged Auckland would be tough.
She said Otago had trained hard this week, and a good spirit had emerged in the team in the past couple of weeks.
If Manawatu upsets Hawkes Bay in Napier, Otago could squeeze through on bonus points, even if it does lose.
Berry's last game in Auckland was a heartbreaker, with the side dropping the ball with the line begging in the dying stages of the 2007 final.
A try would have won the title for Otago.
Today's game will be played at the College Rifles ground,on a new $2 million artificial turf.
Installed this year, the turf has been mooted as being used on Dunedin grounds, as it stays dry and mud-free.
The ground is always hard but the ball tends to bounce a lot.
Otago has retained the same starting team from last week while Auckland is without Black Ferns No 8 Linda Ituau for a second week in a row.
Black Ferns lock Victoria Heighway will captain the Auckland team.
Otago team to play Auckland at 2.35pm today
Otago: Anna Richards, Natahlia Darling, Carla Hohepa, Rebecca Chittock, Janna Vaughan, Kelly Brazier, Zoey Berry, Ngamamae Rapata, Leyhana Van Vugt, Rachel Scott, Lauren Roney, Carrie Lobb, Beth Mallard (captain), Rachel Ovens, Gemma Tuhega.
Reserves: Jess Tuhega, Courtney Sullivan, Michaela Smith, Kathleen Wilton, Melissa Grant, Sheree Hume, Jamie Greene.
