Sydney University’s Metro 1 women’s hockey team will be chasing a third consecutive title in Sydney’s premier competition when they take on Moorebank at Olympic Park on Saturday.
Sydney University, boasting a mixture of youth and experience, finished third on the competition ladder, with a final round loss to Briars costing them a top-two finish.
But coach Ben Chiarella had them fired up for their minor semi-final tilt with Ryde, which they won 2-1 to move into a showdown with Briars in the final.
The Students put the result of their previous meeting behind them to emerge 2-1 winners on the back of a concerted team effort and goals from Greta Hayes and Sophie Boyle.
The win put them in a showdown with Moorebank at 2.30pm this Saturday.
Midfielders Hayes and Fiona Tout and striker Nina Khoury will be crucial players for the Students in the decider. Hayes, a Year 12 student, is in the NSW Institute of Sport program and has represented NSW Under 21s this year.
Tout, a co-captain of the University side with Gill Bennet and Khoury, is returning from injury after a solid season, while Khoury, who played for the Australian Under 21 side at the 2013 World Cup, has hit some crucial goals this season.
And Sophie Boyle, who forced her way into the side with some strong performances in the Metro 2 team, will be hoping to make the most of her first grand final in the senior ranks.
The team is looking for plenty of support at Olympic Park in their pursuit of a third title.