Students ready for Maroons’ pressure

YOU could have written your own ticket at the beginning of the women’s Premier League hockey season if you had suggested that DiamondBacks would occupy second on the ladder and University fourth.

DiamondBacks have shocked many under new coach Sarah Birch with their disciplined team structure, while the Students’ signing of playing-coach Vanessa McDonald has proved a master stroke for the success-starved club.

While the Maroons have edged University both times this season, coach Sarah Birch has gradually been improving her side, despite just one loss from the opening 14 rounds.

“Our current team is different to the sides fielded in rounds 5 and 10 and we make continual tweaks and adjustments to further improve our structures,” Birch said.

Birch also denied suggestions that DiamondBacks are too reliant on English import Pippa Lewis.

University coach McDonald acknowledged her side’s poor starts in their previous encounters, struggling to cope with DiamondBacks’ reverse pressuring ahead of tonight’s 8pm match.

Canterbury and Derwent have both stuttered in recent weeks with the Lions now seemingly out of contention for top-two positions, with the Strikers slipping outside the top four again.

Derwent coach Torin Bester welcomes back Eliza Westland, Olivia Canning and Molly Haas.

The Lions similarly welcome back Kacee Ponting, Molly Rasmussen, Maddy Curtis and Camille O’Conor.

Ladder leaders North-West Graduates meet bottom side OHA, with Ships coach Susan Brooks confident her side is in form for finals contention despite some injury clouds.