Keeper heroics help Perth to women’s hockey title

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Keeper heroics help Perth to women’s hockey title

A tennis-like smash from Line Malan and goalkeeping heroics from Aleisha Power have lifted the Perth Thundersticks to a 4-1 win over the Brisbane Blaze in the Hockey One women’s gold medal match.

The Blaze entered Sunday’s decider in Hobart as defending champions and favourites, and peppered Perth’s goal repeatedly.

But it was Power who ended up being the difference, producing a series of dazzling saves to ensure Perth’s first women’s title since the WA Diamonds’ 2010 triumph in the now defunct *********** Hockey League.

Power, who missed selection for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, was named player of the match for her grand final heroics.

“She was very good in the net, has been for the last couple of weeks at training, absolutely ******** it,” Thundersticks coach Phil Hulbert told the Seven Network.

“She played a very good game. I couldn’t be prouder of the ******.”

Minor premiers Perth were unbeaten during the regular season and scored a Hockey One record 36 goals.

The Thundersticks beat the Tassie Tigers 3-1 in Saturday’s semi-final but were on the back foot for most of Sunday’s decider.

Brisbane were playing in their fourth straight Hockey One grand final, and they had the best chance of the opening term – only for Power to pull off a great one-on-one save.

Thundersticks import Malan broke the contest open early in the second in a most unique way.

Penny Squibb’s pass into the circle deflected off a stick and soared high into the air, with Malan on hand to volley the ball home with a tennis-like smash.

Malan nailed her conversion to make it 2-0.

Power went to a new level for the rest of the quarter, the 27-year-old pulling off save after save to leave the Blaze wondering what more they needed to do to break through.

Savannah Fitzpatrick masterminded Brisbane’s first goal, pulling off a ****** turn and a sharp pass to set up Stephanie Kershaw for a close-range strike in the third quarter.

But on the ensuing conversion attempt – when the scorer of an open-play or penalty goal goes one-on-one with the keeper in a chance to add another goal – Power came up trumps, blocking Kershaw to preserve Perth’s 2-1 lead at three-quarter time.

Brisbane continued to dominate early in the final quarter, but it was 3-1 when Squibb unleashed a powerful strike from a penalty corner with eight minutes remaining.

Two minutes later it was 4-1 when Georgia Wilson struck from close range.

Her miss from the ensuing conversion attempt left the door ajar for the Blaze, but another stunning save from Power with three minutes remaining closed the door on Brisbane for good.

In the bronze medal match, the NSW Pride beat the Tassie Tigers 3-0 in a shootout after scores were locked at 4-4 after regulation time.

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