LGSHA cap unbeaten weekend with second division one country champs title in three years

Two second-quarter goals delivered Lower Great Southern Hockey Association division one glory, as they held off a firm challenge from rivals Upper Great Southern in the grand final on Sunday afternoon. LGSHA won the division one title for the second time in three years at the CBH Group Women’s Country Championships in Perth after winning a pulsating decider. They finished on top of the four-team top division after two wins and a draw in the qualifying games and then won 3-1 over Geraldton in a thrilling penalty shootout to decide Saturday night’s semifinal. They progressed to face Upper Great Southern, who they had already beaten in the regular stage, in the grand final. However LGSHA were starved of chances in the first quarter as Uppers did the majority of the attacking to have them on the back foot. The game changed complexion in the second, however, as star midfielder Beck Gallimore opened the scoring with six minutes to half-time with a penalty corner conversion. That advantage was quickly doubled as MacKenzie Poulish provided a clever tap in on the left post with 21/2 minutes left. LGSHA had all the momentum heading into half-time but Uppers came out firing in the third and were denied more than once but LGSHA keeper Bonnie Crook. Crook made a couple of key saves to thwart Uppers’ bid to pinch a goal back. She was called into action again in the fourth as LGSHA still held a 2-0 lead but with less than two minutes to the final siren, Uppers finally broke their drought. A penalty corner conversion handed Uppers an elusive goal but LGSHA defended with vigour to emerge victorious. The 2-1 triumph handed LGSHA the division 1 title, with captain Laura Archer accepting the spoils. Coach Darren Parkes said his team had a great balance and were deserving winners. “I’m pretty proud of all the girls and how they played all weekend,” he said. “From our first game to our last we learnt how to play as a team and what worked for us to click and also to make us a strong unit. The girls stuck to the game plans through the semi and the final and played their role in the team and managed to bring home the medal.” It was a successful weekend for LGSHA, with their third team also claiming grand final success. LGSHA won the masters division 2 grand final, beating Esperance 1-0 in a tight decider. The LGSHA second team finished on top of the ladder but lost their semifinal to Donnybrook before beating Ongerup in the playoff to officially finish third in division 5.